Project Genesis: Operation Final Justice
by Darkfire7881
Summary: A short story set between Part 1 and Part 2. A partial novelization of Command and Conquer Generals, set in the Tiberium universe. This is a continuation of Part one: Dawn, so it is recommended to read that first. NOW REVISED. 10 Years have passed since the end of the First Tiberium War, but the fighting hasn't stopped. Now GDI must hunt down a dangerous terrorist.
1. Chapter 1

**Project Genesis:**

**Operation Final Justice**

**Author's note: This is a short story set between Part One: Dawn and Part Two: Sun, and is intended to be a semi-novelization of the Command and Conquer Generals games, set in the Tiberium universe.****As such, there will be some major changes, such as the USA will now be GDI, and the GLA will be the Brotherhood of Nod.**

**This is intended as a short story only, and serves as a bridge for the thirty year gap in between Tiberian Dawn and Tiberian Sun. This will primarily follow characters from Part One, therefore it is recommended readers have read that story prior to this one.**

**The China campaign will not be represented in this story, and there will only be a couple missions from Zero Hour, so I'm sorry if you were hoping to see their POV. They won't be totally forgotten though,**** so not to worry.**

**Big thanks to IanOtter for helping review and edit. Be sure to check out his works.**

**As always, I hope you all enjoy, and be sure to leave reviews!**

**Prologue**

**Beijing, China**

**June 12****th****, 2001**

**1500**

It was a pleasant and warm day, perfect for a parade. All along the streets of downtown Beijing, people watched and cheered as the Chinese International Regiment marched with pride and precision. Men marched in perfect unison with uniforms pressed and rifles polished to a sheen, while Chinese Type 90 tanks rolled behind them. Trailing in the rear were two GDI Mammoth tanks, the diving eagle and red star on full display.

General Mark Sheppard, Commander-in-Chief of the Global Defense Initiative, was watching it all on the large screen erected outside the GDI base. It was recently built as part of the country's ever growing support for the Initiative. The base, along with the military parade, were both meant to show China's support for the ongoing war against Tiberium, and the Brotherhood of Nod. It also served as a reminder to elements of their government that ruling party was still in charge.

Mark shuffled in his seat, a rather uncomfortable fold out chair, as he reflected on the issue.

China had been mostly absent from the Third World War, or Tiberium War as most were calling it. Mostly, it had been due to opposition within the government, primarily from nationalist and isolationist groups. But there were also reports of Nod activity, which became evident when Tiberium started spreading out from the Gobi desert. China had tried to keep it under control but found their own nation was turning against them. However, following Kane's death at the end of the war, the entire Brotherhood collapsed and the Chinese government was quick to reassert control.

There were still dissidents of course, and Nod hadn't just disappeared despite what everyone had hoped, which was exactly why the United Nations was prepared to give even more power to GDI. Which was something Sheppard was strongly against. His position on the upcoming vote had earned him the title of hypocrite and even traitor, given he was the head of GDI. But he felt that the world's focus should be on the eradication of the alien substance, not on giving the joint military coalition more autonomy.

Unfortunately, it had only been three years after the war and people were still scared of Nod. The various generals and warlords had carved up Africa and the Middle East amongst themselves and GDI had been quick to intervene and had begun hunting hunt down the last remnants. Only it was proving to be a more daunting task then initially thought, something the other high ranking members of GDI were using to their advantage.

Sheppard knew that the other generals wanted to replace him with someone who agreed with their ideals. But he wouldn't give in so easily - this old dog still had a bite, so to speak.

"General?"

Sheppard was broken from his thoughts as Major James Solomon tapped him on the shoulder. He was sitting to Sheppard's left and he quickly indicated the man to his right. Sheppard looked over and realized that General Tsing Shi Tao had been trying to speak to him.

"Forgive me General, I was thinking about something. What were you saying?"

"I was saying that it is an impressive display, no? This is truly an age of unprecedented cooperation between our nations. No one could hope to stand against such might." Tao spoke with an arrogance that Sheppard despised, but had to force himself to smile and nod. This was the raw ambition that had him worried for GDI's future.

"Very impressive General." He quickly replied, then turned back to Solomon, who gave him a sympathetic look.

Sheppard liked the man: he was smart and quick with his wit. Sheppard was quick to pick him up as a his protégé after the war had ended as Solomon had been on the front with the now famous Commander Mark Lancaster. Sheppard had high hopes for Solomon, and since Lancaster had refused promotion, he now had to rely on the Colonel to help him keep things in check.

"The ceremony will be beginning soon. Today will mark a new era for China. Perhaps even the world." Tao said with a smug smile, however this time Sheppard actually agreed with him.

Sheppard returned his focus to the large screen, eager to distract his melancholy thoughts by watching the parade. He watched as crowds lined the streets, cheering the parade on, leaving the entire area rather clustered and Sheppard didn't envy having to navigate the dense crowds.

Then, suddenly, people starting running in different directions, or tried to as they were packed almost shoulder to shoulder. The soldiers seemed to march on unawares and most of the crowded people didn't even seem to notice. Until Sheppard could clearly see the flashes of automatic weapons. He bolted to his feet as the other Chinese and GDI dignitaries began to talk in panicked tones.

"What is going on?" Tao asked, his smug confidence fading.

Sheppard just watched as people were now being cut down by gunmen who were dispersed throughout the crowds. The soldiers finally took notice and tried to fire back, but found it difficult with all the scared civilians in the way.

Without warning, cars came barreling out from alleyways and drove straight into the tanks that were stuck on the road. They exploded in brilliant flashes against the sides of the Type 90 tanks, killing the crews instantly.

It was pure chaos as the parading soldiers weren't prepared, and were being attacked from every angle. Sheppard began barking out orders, only for people to give him a confused look.

"What the hell are you people doing? We have to save those civilians!"

Tao stood up and began repeating what Sheppard said in Mandarin, finally getting the assembled officers into motion. Solomon was already talking into his wrist mounted computer, know as a Tacpad, calling for help from the GDI aircraft carrier they had traveled here on. Sheppard turned to view the screen and saw that the soldiers were focused on helping civilians flee from the crazed gunmen and suicide bombers. Frantic shouting could be heard over the radio as soldiers called for support.

Then a chill ran down his spine as chanting could be heard over the noise: _Peace Through Power._ He didn't want to believe it, but there was no denying it: the Brotherhood of Nod was here, and they were slaughtering soldiers and civilians indiscriminately.

Fortunately, the disoriented troops seemed to be getting their footing and were starting to put up a fight, when a container truck came racing up from behind the parade.

Then the world went white. All sound disappeared, and for a moment, he Sheppard thought he had died. The only thing that went through is his mind was regret at not finishing the book he had been writing for years, which struck him as a odd thing to think about before dying, when his sense of hearing came back in a painful wave of screaming people and blaring alarms. When his vision cleared from the sudden flash moments later, his mouth fell agape at what he saw.

A massive mushroom cloud now rose from where downtown Beijing once stood. The blast wave had shattered glass windows and even caused vehicles and people to flip over. It was a scene from his worst nightmares, as once prominent skyscrapers now had crumbled and flames were spreading out from the epicenter of the blast.

All around him, people were struggling to their feet and he spotted Solomon running towards him. He was saying something but Sheppard couldn't make it out, even though he was barely a few feet away.

"…helter now!"

"What?" Sheppard managed to croak out.

"We need to get to shelter, now!" He repeated, louder.

Sheppard nodded his head and drunkenly followed Tao and the others into the base's command center.

As they made their way to the underground emergency bunker, all Sheppard could do was think to himself: Nod had returned and they had just detonated a nuclear bomb.

And even worse, was that now no one would argue against GDI being given all the power in the world. After today, even Sheppard could no longer argue against it.

The war against Nod was far from over.

… … …

**Chapter 1**

**Baghdad, Iraq**

**July 17****th****, 2011**

**0645**

For three days, the Global Defense Initiative had been laying siege to the city of Baghdad. For three miserable days, the GDI forces had to endure blistering heat and a relentless enemy.

The Brotherhood of Nod had controlled this city since before the Tiberium War, and it had now apparently passed hands through several Nod warlords. But now, as part of the new 'Operation Final Justice', GDI had been tasked with liberating it.

_New _may have been be the wrong word for Final Justice, as the operation had been introduced almost ten years prior, just after the Beijing Bombing. The nuclear attack had killed close to a hundred thousand people. The next day, China descended into chaos as Nod attacked several cities, including a full on invasion of Hong Kong. That had effectively started the operation, and GDI had remobilized itself for war. But at the end of the day, it was all just more pointless killing.

But for ten years Mark Lancaster, Battle-commander of GDI, had continued the war against Nod. And now here he was, on the third day of the siege and irritable as all hell, due to a lack of coffee.

He was busy overlooking satellite images of their target, a large Nod base located in the hills behind the city, when a young man walked into the control room. He had olive skin and black hair trimmed in the military style, and he wore his lieutenant's bars with great pride. And Hidden under his dark green eyes was a fierce intelligence.

"Good morning sir. Sleep well?" Sergio Andreas asked in a cheerful tone.

He was in his mid twenties and was clearly an ambitious man. Mark liked him a great deal, but he was not without his faults: Sergio had bouts of anger born from having watched his home country of Italy be consumed by Tiberium. Mark sympathized with him - Italy had all but collapsed since the alien crystal had arrived in 1995. The government had almost been dissolved and a flood of refugees had spread throughout Europe and America. And there were more countries across the globe following in Italy's footsteps.

"That depends. Did you get the coffee maker fixed?"

Sergio handed him a styrofoam cup filled with the black liquid and Mark grabbed it greedily. He took a sip and let out a satisfied sigh.

"God, that's horrible coffee, but I don't even care."

Sergio laughed and took a sip of his own drink.

"Are we ready to make the final push, sir? Most of the city is secured. If we push in now-"

"Easy, son. Nod still controls the outer limits of Baghdad. We need to take this slow." Mark replied with a chuckle.

"Yes, sir. Sorry."

"Don't be, I want this to be over as much as you do."

Sergio just nodded and Mark smiled, reminded of his own fiery youth. When the Tiberium War had started, Mark had just entered his thirties. Now he was in his mid forties and felt much older than that.

As the two continued to talk, Mark's Tacpad began to vibrate, indicating an incoming call.

Mark pressed a few buttons and a voice crackled through the built in speakers.

_"Command, come in. This is Oracle 1-1, be advised we have large Nod armour unit inbound. I say again, Nod armour unit inbound to base, over."_

"Copy that Oracle. Return to base, over?"

_"Wilco __Command__, Oracle 1-1 out."_

Mark looked up to Sergio, an eager look on his face. Mark smiled as he began issuing orders.

"Lieutenant, call back our patrols and move our tanks to intercept the enemy. Put the base on high alert."

"Yes, sir!" Sergio moved off to carry out the order and Mark activated his Tacpad again. He made a call to the primary GDI command base in the region.

"Home Nest, come in? This is Sandcastle, how copy?" Mark said as he watched the other officers run around the control room, preparing for the upcoming fight.

_"We read you Sandcastle; send traffic, over."_

"Requesting close air support. Locals are getting restless."

_"Copy that, sending you a flight of Orcas. Home Nest out."_

Mark smiled as he ended the call and turned to survey the base as it came to life.

It was a small outpost built after the first day, after GDI had destroyed the city's outer defenses and took control over the Tiberium refinery. Mark had built his base up around it to prevent Nod from retaking it and regaining their primary source of supplies. It was from here he had coordinated the two day long urban fighting for the city. And now the Brotherhood was finally making its move.

Outside, new GDI Crusader tanks moved away from the base and out into the sandy field to meet the enemy head on, while infantry scrambled to get ready and load into waiting Humvees.

"Getting visual feed now, sir." Sergio called from the other side of the control room.

A large screen lit up and Mark could see the line of Crusader tanks move into position. Visually, they weren't too different from the Abrams tanks GDI used during the war. The key difference, however, was that these new tanks were made with Tiberium composite materials and had the latest in military hardware.

And they would be more than enough for the Nod Scorpion tanks. Lightly armoured vehicles that, by themselves, would be no match for any GDI tank. However they could be quite deadly in large numbers, as they were now as they amassed outside the base.

The GDI Crusaders formed a line atop a small hill and readied themselves. Tank commanders reported in their status and general chatter filled the control room. The Nod Scorpions also formed a line opposite the ridge, and the two forces seemed to stare each other down, as if it was some old western showdown.

The air was tense as Mark waited for someone to make the first shot. He nearly jolted when a Nod Scorpion opened fire and the shell exploded mere inches away from one of his Crusaders. In the blink of an eye, all ten Crusaders and the other eleven Scorpions fired, seemingly all at once. A few Crusaders took direct hits but were able to shrug them off, but the Scorpions on the other hand were reduced to burning scrap. The entire exchange was over in less than five minutes. The twelve Nod tanks were destroyed while all of his survived. Two were forced to limp back home, but the others pressed forward.

_"Command__,__ this is Godfrey 1-4. We are moving forward now."_ One of the tank commanders reported.

"Sir! Oracle reports another tank column!" Sergio shouted.

"Negative Godfrey! Hold position."

As the Crusaders ground to a halt, another fifteen Scorpions came rolling across the field. They would easily overwhelm his tanks had eight Orca fighters not flown over the base and unleashed a hailstorm of missiles. The second line of tanks was destroyed by the advanced VTOL craft, also significantly improved since the war.

With their missiles spent, the Orcas flew off and returned to the GDI base. The field between Mark's FOB and the city was now strewn with twisted and burnt metal. And with no other enemy forces moving towards them, Mark gave the order.

"All units, this is Sandcastle Actual. Engage, I say again, engage. Primary target is the Nod base in the hills. Clear out all hostiles."

A series of affirmatives came in from his various field units including the tank unit designated Godfrey. Sergio watched with rapt attention and Mark steeled himself for another violent day of fighting.

… … …

The Humvee bounded over the rough terrain as it raced towards the city. Some god awful rap song was blaring over the radio and a young private named Chris Reed tapped his foot in rhythm with the 'song' while he looked out the window.

Sergeant Robert McCoy, now in his mid thirties, gripped his GDI standard issued M8 assault rifle tighter in annoyance and was just about ready to shoot the damned radio. Around him in the cramped vehicle, were the other members of his squad. Private Samuel King manned the Humvee's heavy machine gun while Corporal Pablo Rodriguez drove the Humvee.

The final squad member was another private named Tony West, barely in his twenties, and he looked nervous as he fiddled with his own M8. Everyone was quiet as they readied to throw themselves into battle, but McCoy couldn't handle to the music for one more second.

"Reed, turn that shit off before I make you walk the rest of the way." He growled.

"Oh, come on Sarge, it ain't that bad." Reed complained.

"I agree with the Sergeant. It's shit music man." Rodriguez added from the front as he turned off the radio. Reed crossed his arms and looked personally offended.

"First off, of course you agree with him because you're an ass kisser. Second, ain't my fault the Sarge doesn't know good music."

"You wouldn't know good music if it bit you in the ass."

Rodriguez laughed and Reed flipped him the middle finger. But the jovial mood was replaced with cold seriousness as a voice crackled over the general radio.

_"All call signs, this is Godfrey 1-4. We are entering the city now. Get yourselves ready because Nod won't be happy we're here."_

"You heard the man, get ready people! King, keep your eyes open." McCoy cautioned.

Everyone readied their rifles and checked over their gear.

"You still nervous Rookie? Come on, it's not like it's your first day." Reed said to West.

West didn't say anything and instead, just looked down at his weapon causing McCoy to point an angry finger at Reed.

"Lay off the kid, or you can get out and push."

"Just saying. He's been fighting for three days now. Should be used to it."

"Should I be used to it by now Sergeant?" West asked.

"No one ever gets used to war. Even Reed is scared shitless. You just have to learn how to control it, because you can't let fear stop you when a brother in arms needs your help." McCoy replied sagely.

"Yes Sergeant."

"Hell yeah! Fuck you Noddies!" King suddenly shouted.

McCoy looked out the window and saw dead Nod soldiers and burning Scorpion tanks as the Humvee passed into the city. Rodriguez pushed a car out of his way and drove onto a main road. Up ahead, more Humvees and the Crusader tanks were moving deeper into the city.

Ahead of them was a large open area that seemed to be used for markets and shops, however it was now deserted. Further along was two large apartment buildings. The Humvee slowed down to a crawl as they were now firmly in Nod territory.

_"This is Godfrey 1-4, moving towards Objective Bravo."_ The tank commander stated.

Just as he did, McCoy spotted the tank roll ahead of the others and moved towards the apartments. Their secondary objective was a large mosque that served as Nod's last stronghold within the city proper. It was just passed the apartment buildings on a small man-made island.

Godfrey 1-4 passed between them only to disappear in a flash of light. Before anyone could react, missiles and bullets began pouring out from multiple floors of both buildings.

"Tangos! In the buildings!"

McCoy witnessed a turret gunner on one the Crusader tanks lose his head, and without thinking, he grabbed King's legs and started pulling him down into the cabin.

"Snipers! King, get down! Pull him down!"

Reed and West both helped pull him down as bullets pinged off the roof of the Humvee. King was fine, if a bit shaken, and gave his thanks, but McCoy was already barking out more orders.

"Rodriguez, find us some cover!"

The Corporal nodded and pulled them into the market, driving over wooden stalls. The radio burst to life as Major Wilson began shouting orders.

_"Pull those tanks back. Get suppressive fire on those buildings, now! All units converge on me! Break, Sandcastle, requesting support, we are pinned down, over?"_

_"Copy that Major, support is on the way."_ Commander Lancaster replied.

The Humvee nearly tipped over as a rocket exploded mere feet away. Rodriguez struggled to keep it under control, but lost and the vehicle swerved into a concrete wall. McCoy was jolted from the crash, but quickly barked out more orders.

"Everyone out, out, out!"

They all complied and filed out of the Humvee as more bullets impacted into it. McCoy and Reed fired off a few bursts at the buildings, but their bullets would do little if anything at all. They took cover behind the wall as farther down, the rest of the GDI forces traded fire with the enemy.

"What's the game plan, Sarge?" King asked as he looked down his weapons holographic sight.

"We need to hook up with the Major, only there's a lot of open ground."

McCoy looked across the open marketplace and spotted a group of GDI troops clustered around what looked like a restaurant of some kind. Assuming the Major was there, he tried to plan the best route.

"Can't we just take the Hummer?" Reed asked.

"My baby is fried. She isn't going anywhere." Rodriguez solemnly replied.

McCoy continued scanning for a route when he finally found adequate cover. A cluster of wooden stands were arrayed in a circle around a stone well; it would cover them from sniper fire and put them in close proximity to the rest of the force.

"Alright everyone, get ready to run. Target is a cluster of stands, near the well."

"I see it." West stated.

"King and Reed: give covering fire. Rodriguez and West: with me. Go now!"

McCoy and the others ran out from behind the wall and booked it across the stone market. Reed and King opened fire and drew most of the sniper's attention, but a few bullets tore chunks into the stone around them.

McCoy took cover behind a larger stand with a purple tarp, and turned to fire on the left side apartment building. The enemy was too far away to get an accurate shot, but his bullets impacted around the window where he thought the sniper was. West and Rodriguez took cover by another stand and also took aim. McCoy then gave the signal for Reed and King to make their run. After Reed fired off one last burst, they both ran as fast as they could, and made it to cover just as a hailstorm of machine gun fire ripped up the stone.

"Get ready to run again. Same formation." McCoy ordered.

Everyone reloaded their weapons and readied themselves. Reed and King once again opened fire and McCoy, West, and Rodriguez made a run for the GDI forces entrenched in front of them. He started to shout at them so they would see them and not assume they were Nod troops. One soldier did see them and almost fired, before stopping himself, and pointed them out to someone.

McCoy and his men all vaulted over a low concrete wall and took cover with the other troops, who gave them quizzical looks. He just ignored them and signaled for the others to join them. When they did, Major Wilson came out from the restaurant and dashed over to them.

"Thank you for joining us, Sergeant. Did you enjoy your afternoon picnic?" The Major asked sarcastically.

"Yes, sir, it was lovely. Didn't like being shot at though." McCoy replied seriously and the Major barked out a laugh.

"Glad you made it son."

He turned and headed back into the building and McCoy ordered his squad to take up positions along the walls.

GDI forces were still trading fire with the Nod defenders. The tanks were punching holes into the two buildings, yet the infantry couldn't move forward as sniper and rocket fire still rained down on them.

It seemed as though they would be stuck in a stalemate until two Black Hawk helicopters passed by overhead, hovering above each apartment building. McCoy could barely make out figures of GDI troops rappelling down onto the roofs. The helicopters then flew back to the base and the Major ordered them to continue shooting at the lower levels.

After a few minutes, McCoy began to notice the amount of fire from the buildings slowly begin to lessen, before abruptly ceasing entirely. He was close enough to the Major to hear the message the man received over his Tacpad:

_"Major, both buildings secured. You__ are good to move forward."_

"Copy that. Thanks for the assist. Let's move it people!"

The GDI forces picked themselves up and began making their way forward. They moved slowly, cautious of any more attacks and eventually passed underneath the apartments. The GDI troops that had repelled down were already on the street level and had swept for more mines. Its seemed the tank had triggered all of them, thus why there was hardly any remains of Godfrey 1-4.

"Objective Bravo is just up ahead. Area is well fortified, advise we wait for reinforcements." A Sergeant stated as Wilson approached.

"No time, we push onward."

The tanks moved first again with the infantry in the middle and a handful of Humvees bringing up the rear. Ahead was a large mosque, and surrounding it were several Nod tanks and defensive dugouts that had been designated as Stinger sites.

The Nod forces spotted them, but before they could react, two Orcas appeared overhead and unleashed their payload of rockets. The tanks burst open and the Stinger sites were set ablaze as the Orcas brought devastation. Chin mounted autocannons ripped apart infantry that attempted to fire back.

One of the Orcas was suddenly ripped apart by anti-air fire as a half tracked Nod Quad-cannon came into view. The second Orca pulled off as the Nod Quad-cannon continued to fire. A Crusader tank rotated its turret towards the vehicle, but stopped when it was struck by a Scorpion.

Militiamen shot at them with a wide array of weapons, Nod's arsenal had always been an odd mix between high tech and low grade weapons. McCoy and his squad returned fired on the enemy as they came into view. Reed activated his underslung grenade launcher and fired at the Quad-cannon. The grenade exploded against the front grill, causing the truck to roll to a stop before a second explosion from the engine engulfed the driver's cabin in flame.

The Crusaders finished off what was left of the Scorpion tanks and handful of Technicals. The mosque's courtyard was now ruined as the GDI forces pushed past towards the outskirts of the city. A Chinook landed behind them and deployed troops that stormed into the building to secure it.

McCoy and his men followed behind Major Wilson as they entered a residential area, behind of which was the hills where the Nod base was located.

The remaining tanks of Godfrey pushed ahead before more rocket fire came out from some of the low rise houses. The tanks made short work by blowing the houses apart with high explosive shells. McCoy and his men fired on another small house. He fired a burst into a living room window, taking down a machine gun squad hidden within. By the time they had cleared the buildings, another group of Crusader tanks rolled up behind them.

Major Wilson ordered them to push into the hills. Past the city, McCoy spotted a clear path that had been carved into the hills. McCoy took the time to take a drink from his canteen when Reed walked up to him.

"This has been some intense shit. Are we almost done Sarge? I'm getting tired."

"Reed, why are you complaining to me?" He asked as he wiped his mouth and returned the canteen to his belt.

"Who else would I complain to?"

"Anyone but me."

He walked ahead of Reed and found himself beside West, who was looking around the hills, seemingly paranoid of attack.

"You alright kid?"

"Of course, Sergeant." West tried to keep a stoic face, but McCoy could see right through it.

"Are you sure? I want to know if there's something bothering you."

Tony West wasn't the first soldier McCoy had taken a fatherly tone with. After dealing with his own demons for the better part of ten years he felt a natural need to help others who suffered the same way.West sighed and the façade broke down

"I don't know Sergeant. I wanted to sign up like all my brothers did, to fight like them. But I'm not so sure I'm cut out for this, you know? I'm scared, sir, and I'm afraid that I might be a coward."

McCoy could see a lot of emotions at war within the young man, and he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You aren't a coward, you are a fine soldier. It's only human to be scared. I still get scared. Your brothers would be proud of you, Tony."

"Thanks Sarge." He seemed to be genuinely cheer up and McCoy smiled at him before moving ahead again.

McCoy was moving towards the Major, when the man called for the whole unit to stop. As McCoy came up to the man he saw why.

On the ridge ahead of them was a line of tanks and stinger sites, and an Obelisk of Light. A chill ran down his spine as vivid flashbacks raced through his mind.

"Command, we have a problem. Obelisk of Light is blocking the path."

_"Did you say an Obelisk?"_ Lancaster asked over the radio.

"Affirmative, sir. Request immediate air support; heavy ordnance."

_"You got it Major. Raptors inbound."_

McCoy gave a low whistle upon hearing that. Raptors were new close air support craft, meant to replace A-10 Warthogs, and could even be used for air superiority. Like the Crusaders, they were equipped with all the latest technology GDI could come up with.

A low rumble could be heard and McCoy kept his gaze fixed on the ridge. A few moments later, a squadron of GDI Raptors flew by overhead and unleashed a flurry of bombs. The hills shook from the large explosions, and a large cloud of dust and smoke rose into the air. After it settled, there was nothing left of the Nod defenses and the Raptors peeled off.

Wilson ordered them to move forward again. They passed the still burning craters left by the air strike and bits of tanks and people were strewn about.

They crested the ridge and came into view of the Nod base. After the war, the Brotherhood had become more desperate for resources so instead of their Hands of Nod or war factories, there were shambled together barracks and flimsy service bays for vehicles. A large collection of prefabricated buildings served as a command center, and a van with a series of radars and antenna served as their communications. It was a far cry from the super power they were during the war, but they had proven they were still a considerable threat.

The tanks opened fire and tore into the buildings, while Humvees cut down infantry hiding in Stinger sites and foxholes. McCoy and the other GDI infantry pushed into the base, but several men immediately from the wall of bullets the enemy was throwing at them. McCoy and his squad took cover behind a concrete block that would have been used for an automated turret. He fired on any target he could see as GDI steamrolled their way into the base.

King and West were firing on a group of Nod troops attempting to come out from the barracks while Reed and Rodriguez fired on a Technical. Major Wilson was leading the main push to the command center, just as a Crusader fired a shell that all but erased the radar van.

McCoy broke from cover and as he and his men pushed up past the barracks which now a flame wreck as a result of multiple tank blast, but just as he did, another squad of Nod troops came out from a large open building covered by a camouflaged tarp. Fortunately, McCoy's squad fired first, and ripped the Nod troops apart.

He turned his attention and noticed the Major was storming the command building. He decided to clear the camouflaged building and moved his men forward. From the air, it would have been invisible, but from ground level he could see it served sort of as a warehouse. Boxes of various sizes filled the entire space. He moved his squad into the warehouse, weapons at the ready, but it seemed that the building was empty.

McCoy sauntered over to one of the boxes and opened it to find AK-47s and AK-74s inside. Reed opened a similar box to find M16s inside, while the others found entire crates of ammunition, grenades and rockets for RPGs. It was one of the largest stockpiles of weapons McCoy had ever seen.

"Sir, over here!" Rodriguez shouted.

The four of them moved closer to see what the man had found. It was a row of gun racks, all lined with newer SCAR-H assault rifles. McCoy clenched his fists in anger; GDI still wasn't sure how Nod was able to get its hands on so much advanced hardware.

"Good work squad, take five."

West, Reed, and King all took a seat on some of the boxes while Rodriguez continued searching through the warehouse. McCoy pulled out a radio to call the Major.

"Sir, we've secured a massive stockpile of Nod weapons. One of the largest I've ever seen sir."

_"Copy that Sergeant. I'll pass that off to Command. We've taken the command building so I'll be over in a few minute; you and your men did good today."_

"Thank you, sir." McCoy placed his radio back on his belt then stood with his men just as Rodriguez returned from his exploration.

"Well boys, sounds like we've taken Baghdad. Good work, and Reed is buying the first round."

"Hey, what the fuck? Why me?"

"Because I said so."

They all laughed except Reed, who just crossed his arms and huffed. McCoy was glad they were all joking and laughing, that way they didn't see his hands shaking uncontrollably.

… … …

Mark smiled to himself as reports came in about Nod forces surrendering throughout the city. After three days, he had finally taken it, and he heaved a sigh of relief. Lieutenant Andreas came up to him, his own smile stretched across his face.

"We did it sir. At this rate, they will have to call you Mark the Great." Sergio laughed at his own joke but Mark just smiled.

"Well, let's see what the General says."

They both walked over to a computer terminal used for long range communications. After a moment, the face of GDI Commander-in-Chief Malcolm Granger appeared. Mark was still taken aback sometimes, not seeing Sheppard on the other end, even though the man had retired a few months after the Beijing bombing.

_"Commander Lancaster, you have good news I presume?"_ Granger asked in a cheerful tone.

"Yes sir, I do. Baghdad is secure, as is a large stockpile of weapons that Nod won't be getting."

_"Damn fine work, as__ always. Wish you hadn't turned down that promotion. Should be you where I'm sitting now."_

"With all due respect sir, I'm fine where I am."

_"I suppose you are. Alright__,__ I'll pass the news around the grapevine. Hang in there until I get you some new orders. InOps is working on something__;__ we'll wait for the spooks."_

"Yes sir."

Granger ended the call and Mark turned to Sergio.

"Let's go see the Major."

They made their way outside to a waiting Humvee and moved towards the city as the sun began its descent towards night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Al Hanad, Yemen**

**August 1****st****, 2011**

**0900**

The VTOL craft passed overhead, the sun glinting off its armour. Below the citizens paid it no mind, the lethal attack craft having become more akin to a large bird that just flew around lazily. A bird with twin engine pods and a thin tail and enough weaponry to turn an MBT to burning scrap.

Inside the GDI Orca fighter, Lieutenant Caleb Tanner sighed in frustration for the umpteenth time that day. He was a pilot, meant to control the skies, he was trained to search for enemies amongst the blue expanse of the open sky. Not looking for Nod terrorists on the ground.

He glanced at his instrument panels again, checking his fuel and ammo, and seeing everything was still green. The city below was an oddity to him, although in reality it was far too common across most of the globe. GDI soldiers patrolled the streets, while civilians and Nod terrorists passed by. How many times had a GDI soldier smiled and nodded at someone who was actually plotting to kill them. It was a weird sort of limbo, but one that could explode into all out hell in a moment.

He wished that would happen, that way he wouldn't be stuck on boring patrol duties. But nothing did happen as he finished his patrol route, and with another sigh he turned his craft to begin the route again. GDI had been here for two days now, searching for Nod leaders who were supposed to be meeting in the city according to InOps. Although the reoccurring joke throughout all branches of GDI was that, on a good day InOps could tell you Tiberium was green.

He clicked on his radio as he ordered the Orca's Electronic Video Assistant to handle scanning the city below.

"Warhawk-2 to Warhawk-1, do you see anything yet?" Caleb asked to his wingmate and squad leader.

_"Well do you remember my answer from five minutes ago? Because it hasn't changed."_ Captain Gerhan replied in an annoyed tone.

She commanded the small three man patrol on duty today, along with the other member, Lieutenant Garson.

_"Man if I have to hear you bitch one more time today-"_ The dark skinned man started.

_"Wait! I have eyes on potential targets."_ Gerhan hissed.

Caleb immediately tensed and looked around at the streets below. At first he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, until his EVA unit highlighted three trucks gathered around a small building. Upon closer inspection he noticed all three vehicles had large calibre machine guns bolted to them, giving them away as Nod Technicals. The radio crackled to life as Gerhan made the call to command.

_"Warhawk-Actual, this is Warhawk-1. I've got eyes on a potential target."_ Gerhan stated professionally.

_"Copy that Warhawk-1, Lima Charlie. Standby for confirmation from your feed."_ Lieutenant Sergio replied. _"Warhawk-1 this is Warhawk-Actual. Can you maneuver for a better view?"_ He asked after a few moments.

_"No guarantee, but I can try a run by."_ Gerhan replied.

Caleb and Garson moved their Orcas closer as well. The channel remained open as the engine wash sounded in the background.

_"Making my run...shit! just saw people enter the Technicals and they are making a break!"_

_"This is Warhawk-Actual."_ Sergio raised his voice over the radio. _"Do not let those vehicle get away! We can not risk losing that HVT. You have been authorized to engage, any means of force is permitted."_

Caleb's heart began to beat as the three pilots spun into action. Gerhan was chasing after the Technicals as they raced through the city streets, often times almost running over people. She was right on their tail, getting even lower to the streets to get a better shot at them. The Technicals fired back at her but the machine guns couldn't turn high enough to be effective. Despite the adrenaline that was no doubt pumping through her veins, her voice was icy cold.

_"Warhawk-1, fox 2, fox 2."_

Caleb watched as a missile streaked from Gerhan's Orca. The Technical in the rear exploded and crashed into a building. The other two quickly swerved into another street and Gerhan went to follow until a pair of rockets streaked towards her from a nearby rooftop. Caleb watched in horror as both slammed into the tail of her Orca, sending it spinning towards the ground.

_"I'm hit! I'm hit! Mayday! Mayday! This is Warhawk-1 I'm going down!"_

Caleb watched her Orca crash into the middle of the street as the two Technicals raced away. Already he could see Nod soldiers swarming out from the buildings towards the downed Orca.

"Warhawk-Actual this is 2. Requesting to go down and help her."

_"Negative! Go after those HVTs, I'll send a team to retrieve the Captain."_ Sergio replied aggravated.

Caleb didn't reply as he pushed his Orca and followed after the two retreating vehicles. He was about to rip into one with his chin gun but Garson swooped down ahead of him.

_"Pull up 2 I've got this guy. Fox 1!"_

Caleb pulled back on the throttle as a missile streaked out from Garson's Orca. It chased after the second Technical and turned it into a flying fireball before it crashed back down. They both moved to follow the final technical but Caleb's EVA began shouting at him. He felt his heart drop as he realised it was because there was a missile lock. Without thinking he deployed chaff and watched as a missile swerved away from him into the chaff.

Unfortunately Garson wasn't as lucky as another missile flew straight through the chaff field and into the underside of his Orca. Caleb watched as the young pilot ejected out of his craft and slowly parachuted to the streets below.

"Warhawk-Actual-"

_"We see him. Keep after that HVT."_ Sergio interrupted.

Caleb just gunned his craft forward to chase after the final Technical and the Nod leader inside. The vehicle was swerving violently which prevented him from getting a missile lock. He let loose with his chin gun, bullets ripping up the streets and sidewalks. The truck suddenly slowed and Caleb's EVA reported a positive lock, until the vehicle swerved into an alley and out of his sight. Caleb moved his Orca higher but couldn't see where it went.

"Fuck! Actual this is Warhawk-2. I've lost sight of HVT. Repeat, I've lost visual on target."

_"Damn it. Understood, RTB. Nod have started swarming into the city. We're mobilizing rescue operations now."_

"Copy that Actual. Wilco."

He slammed his fist into the dash, then he went to move back to the GDI base outside of the city. That was until his lock on warning once again screamed at him. He swore as he deployed more chaff but it wouldn't work this time. Another missile streaked up from somewhere down below and blew off his tail. Sending him into a violent spiral. He tried to pull on the ejector lever but the force of the spiral made it difficult. His Orca crashed into the street just at the edge of the alley where the Technical had disappeared. He was jostled around the cockpit, stars exploded into his vision when his head hit the back of his chair hard.

After a few moments of groaning and fumbling around his vision cleared. Everything hurt but nothing appeared to be broken. After a few failed attempts at activating EVA, or calling command he decided to get out of his fighter. He fumbled around the for the hatch release but stopped when he noticed figures outside. Most were garbed in civilians clothes, but quite a few wore the uniforms of Nod soldiers. They circled around his crashed Orca, weapons raised and pointed. Caleb raised his hands in surrender, and swore violently. He had just been captured by the enemy, even worse was that he had been shot down for the second time in his career.

… … …

Sergio Andreas looked at the screen, rage building inside him like a gathering storm. Three of his Orcas had been shot down and the Nod leader that InOps had been tracking had gotten away. And now the city had ignited into all out war. Nod forces had swarmed in from buildings and hidden tunnel networks, GDI forces on patrol had to retreat less they be torn apart. But he had to rescue those pilots, which meant they would have to push back into the city.

As he was lost in thought, Commander Lancaster entered the control room. He was calm and seemed to bask in the chaos brewing outside. Meanwhile Sergio was struggling to keep his temper down less he make some stupid mistake.

"What's the situation Lieutenant?" He asked in the same tone as he did when he asked for his morning coffee.

"FUBAR sir. Patrols have made it back to base relatively unharmed, but I have three missing pilots out there."

"Do we know where they are?"

"Satellite is tracking their IFF beacons and they are split across the city. That tells me they are still alive."

Mark nodded his head and hummed thoughtfully.

"Nod is going to launch an attack on our base. They've been waiting for an opportunity. We will need to keep our forces back and hold the line."

"But what about the pilots? We cant just leave them."

"And we won't. We will send a task force, a small one that can navigate through hostile territory. Two Crusader tanks and four Strykers with riflemen squads should be enough."

"Understood sir. I'll assemble a team now."

"Very good Lieutenant." Sergio turned to assemble the rescue unit just as Mark began barking out orders.

Officers began relaying messages and setting up the defence for the GDI base. On the screen Sergio could see the Nod forces moving through the city. Many were concentrated around the friendly IFF beacons, but countless other blips of enemy contacts were moving towards them. He knew the Commander could handle the attack, and had already planned for dealing with the Nod base located in the hills just outside of the city. But now because of his failure, they had a rescue operation to contend with as well.

Sergio silently screamed at himself, he had been trusted to lead this operation and he lost both the HVT and his pilots. He knew not every operation went without a hitch, but this was still a huge fuckup.

"You can't blame yourself. I need your head in the game if we are going to get those people back." Marm said comfortingly as he walked over to Sergio.

Sergio sighed in response and looked up from the terminal he was working at.

"I appreciate your concern sir. But I do blame myself, but I won't let that interfere. You can trust me sir, I can handle it."

Mark smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Good man. Then let's get them home and shut Nod down."

"Yes sir."

Mark walked back to the main screen where he continued to coordinate the coming assault. Sergio returned to gathering a force that would push right through an incoming attack force and navigate through a hostile city. He could only hope the men he was selecting would be crazy enough to handle such a hell.

… … …

Robert McCoy had seen his fair share of dangerous and borderline suicidal missions during his long stint in the military. So for him this was just business as usual, but he could see that West was more nervous than usual. He couldn't blame the kid, diving head first into an oncoming enemy was never a smart decision. But GDI never left one of their own behind, no matter what.

The squad was busy stocking supplies into their M1126 Stryker APC. They stocked the usual amount of ammunition and explosives, but also additional medical equipment in the event one of the pilots was badly hurt.

Reed was mouthing off about something and King was just nodding his head and agreeing without paying any attention. Rodriguez meanwhile was checking over the engine with a bunch of tools scattered around him.

"Less then two minutes ladies!" McCoy shouted out.

The others gave an acknowledgment and kept working. Around them three other squads likewise worked on their respective Strykers, and ahead were the two Crusader tanks that would be escorting them. Somehow he found himself in second in command of the small task force, under Major Wilson. Even though he had his own squad and had been serving GDI for well over ten years. The idea of leading so many people made his stomach upset. He pushed the thought down and just hoped the Major wouldn't die inconveniently.

McCoy was busy strapping down some equipment when a shiver ran down his spine, as the memory of when he reenlisted arose. He had been with his friend, Steve Gale and his family, sitting in their living room chatting while Steve's daughter Olivia watched a cartoon about magical horses. Of course he had paid the T.V. no attention, until the show abruptly changed to the news. The image of a mushroom cloud immediately caused the three adults to go silent, while Olivia incessantly asked what was happening. McCoy just read the bottom text, _hundreds of thousands dead in Nod terrorist attack. _It was that exact moment he had decided to sign back up with GDI. Because he couldn't stand the thought of Steve and his family being hurt.

He shook his head to clear the memory and brought himself back to the present. Just in time to see the Major walking towards him.

"Sergeant McCoy. Are your boys ready to roll out?" He asked as he looked over the small force.

"Yes sir." McCoy replied simply.

"Very good Sergeant. Mount up, it's time to go."

"Yes sir! Alright ladies let's get moving!"

McCoy and his squad gathered into the Stryker. Rodriguez took the driver's seat while King took control of the heavy gun. McCoy, West, and Reed all piled into the back as the rest of the force mobilized.

Major Wilson's voice soon crackled over the radio.

_"Listen up Delta because I'm only going to say this once. Nod forces are bearing down on the base right now, so it's going to make things pretty dicey out there. Our goal is to rescue three pilots who obviously don't know up from down." _

McCoy and the others chuckled at the Major's jab at the Airforce.

_"Our first pilot is located in a school a few klicks from here. Tanks will lead up front. Any questions? Good, Delta is oscar mike."_

Rodriguez moved the Stryker forward and fell into line behind another Stryker and one of the tanks. The other three vehicles moved beside them as they rolled into the city, which was now devoid of civilians on the streets following the Orcas being shot down.

It made things eerily quiet but McCoy knew that wouldn't last for long. He held his rifle at the ready as they slowly drove through the city. The tanks at the head simply pushed or rolled over cars that had been left on the streets, filling the silence with the screeching of metal on metal.

"Man I wish I could drive like this back home! Wouldn't have to deal with L.A traffic ever again." King shouted down from the gun well.

The others chuckled in response and McCoy just scoffed amused. The light hearted moment ended however when the tanks abruptly stopped moving. Shortly after he could hear the sound of bullets pinging off metal armour followed closely by an explosion.

_"Shit! We're taking fire!"_ One of the tank operators shouted out.

"Where the hell is it coming from?" King asked. as he rotated the heavy gun back and forth.

_"Hospital. Dead ahead, fifth story."_ The tank operator replied.

McCoy moved into the drivers cabin and tried to look out the window at the large hospital in front of them. Sure enough he could see brief muzzle flashes from the fifth and sixth story windows.

"Rodriguez get us into cover!" McCoy shouted.

Rodriguez replied by reversing the vehicle then driving them into cover behind a building. The others also moved out of the line of sight of the hospital.

_"Warhawk-Actual this is Delta 1-1. We have enemy shooters in the hospital. Can we confirm that it is clear of civilians? Over."_ Major Wilson asked over the radio.

McCoy tensed as he waited for the reply as more bullets pinged off the Strykers.

_"Negative Delta. We can not confirm any civilian presence inside the hospital. Can you get around it?"_

_"Negative! We are pinned down, please advise."_

They were greeted with silence for a long moment before the Lieutenant finally replied.

_"You have permission to fire on the hospital."_

_"Understood command. Delta out."_ Wilson sounded reluctant and McCoy didn't envy the man. _"2-1, 2-2, take out those tangos."_

_"Copy that 1-1. Target, sixth story, left side."_

_"Target acquired."_

_"Fire."_

McCoy watched as one of the Crusader tanks punched a massive hole into the side of the hospital. Bits of concrete rained down onto the street. The second tank fired and created another hole, but the Nod forces continued to fire on them.

"Rodriguez move us back into the street. King, take down anyone you can find."

"Copy that Sergeant!"

The Stryker rolled back into the street and all four light vehicles fired at the hospital with their heavy machine guns. Within minutes the side of the building was riddled with holes, and the Nod soldiers that had been shooting at them were silenced.

_"Delta 1 this is Delta 2. Looks clear now. Moving forward." _

The two Crusader tanks rolled down the street, leaving ruin behind them. The Strykers followed up and once more they found themselves in empty streets. That didn't last long as when they turned the corner into another road they were within sight of the school.

It was a small building, and it was being guarded by two light Buggies. He also spotted a squad of infantry outside the school frantically searching for cover, clearly pissing themselves at the sight of two tanks.

_"Delta 2 hold fire. We can't risk hitting the pilot."_ Wilson ordered quickly.

_"Copy that 1. We'll hold back."_

The tanks did just that as they rolled to a stop, the Strykers moved past them and came under fire from the two Buggies. King let loose a torrent of bullets that was joined by the other three Strykers. The Buggies were torn apart like wet paper. The Nod soldiers tried firing at them but their bullets did nothing but chip paint, before finally giving up and retreated inside. The four vehicles drove up to the front steps of the school and disgorged their occupants. Four squads of GDI infantry stacked up by the double doors and waited to charge inside.

"Sergeant McCoy. You take your squad and Colt's upstairs. I'll take mine and Santagato's and clear the main floor." Major Wilson ordered.

"Copy that Major."

"Alright. Clean and sweep, let's go!"

Two soldiers opened the door and were immediately cut down as a hailstorm of bullets shattered the doors. Four more GDI troops took up position and fired back inside as one tossed a grenade. It exploded a few seconds later and the four troops charged in. McCoy and the others followed right behind, he brought up his rifle and fired a quick burst into a soldier trying to get to his feet.

More Nod soldiers appeared from nearby rooms, all armed with AK-47s. They fired wildly at the GDI attackers and managed to kill another man before the others ducked into cover. McCoy and Reed laid down a fusillade of bullets while King and West made more precise shots. Rodriguez and Wilson were aiming at a group of Nod troops who were positioned on the second floor. It was a violent exchange, and the hallway was quickly filling with gun smoke and bits of splintered wood. McCoy ducked behind the doorframe he was using for cover as bullets ripped up the floor at his feet. He looked up to see a Nod soldier armed with a SCAR-H assault rifle. He fired another burst that caused the plaster wall to crack, McCoy leaned out and fired a return burst but it missed completely.

The firefight continued around him as he found himself in a deadly game of wack-a-mole. Every time he peeked out to fire, the enemy would duck down, and likewise when he rose up to fire McCoy had to fall back behind the door.

"Reed give me a hand." He growled over the roar of battle.

"Having trouble hitting something old man?" He replied while reloading his M8.

"Very funny. When the asshole up top gets up. Shoot him."

"Got it!"

McCoy took a breath then leaned out to fire a burst at the Nod soldier above. More of the second floor railing blew apart but he escaped unharmed. Then he got up to fire but Reed responded faster and riddled him full of bullets. The soldier stumbled forward and fell to the main floor with a sickening splat. By this time the fighting had stopped, they had lost four soldiers in total compared to the fifteen Nod troops. McCoy led his team up the stairs and began the process of searching the school room by room.

Eventually they found one of the pilots tied up to a chair in a schoolroom. Her uniform was torn and bloody and her head sagged down to her chest. Her name patch gave her away as Captain Gerhan. She perked up when they got closer and hope lit up in her eyes.

"Captain are you alright?" McCoy asked as he began to cut her bonds.

"Yea I'm fine. Fucking dipshit was all talk and no bite."

McCoy could only guess at who she meant but didn't ask. When she was freed she stood up and rubbed her wrists.

"Thanks for the rescue. What happened to my wingmates?"

"They were shot down as well. We're going to rescue them."

"Then I'm coming too. They're my men and I need to know their okay."

McCoy just shrugged and led them back out to the main floor. The Major and his men were already waiting for them, a concerned look etched into his face.

"Nod just launched an attack on the base. They repelled the first wave but more are coming. Which means things are going to get more hectic out there." Wilson reported. McCoy sighed and hefted his rifle.

"Then it's going to be a long day. I suggest we get moving. Reed, grab the Captain a weapon."

"You got it boss."

Wilson raised an eyebrow towards McCoy, to which responded with another shrug. Reed returned with a Vector sub machine gun and handed it to Gerhan. Afterwards the team got back into their Strykers and joined the tanks back out on the street.

"Where to now sir?" McCoy asked over the radio.

_"Second pilot is located in a small warehouse. Lots of Noddies between us and him_."

"Excuse me, Major? Do you know which pilot it is?" Gerhan asked hopefully.

_"I'm afraid not. Just know the location by IFF. But don't worry, we'll get your boys back."_

The radio fell silent as they made their way through the city. The sounds of battle could be heard in the distance, and as best as McCoy could judge, it sounded fierce. Gerhan had joined him and his squad, she was busying herself with checking over the Vector given to her. He noticed Reed check her over quickly, while West seemed focused on the floor of the APC.

They reached an intersection and as the tanks turned right, one was hit head on by a tank shell. The explosion didn't cause much damage, but the sudden shock of it caused the small convoy to stop hastily. Rodriguez swerved slightly to avoid slamming into the vehicle in front of them.

"Scorpions!"

The two Crusaders rotated their turrets to face the three Scorpion tanks bearing down on them. Another tank shell slammed into the lead Crusader, causing it to rock back before black smoke came pouring out of a gaping hole. They returned fire and one of the Scorpions exploded in a violent fireball. Before the Crusaders could move to the next target, the Scorpions fired again, and this time the Crusader tank exploded. McCoy watched as the tank was engulfed in flames, its crew killed instantly.

_"Delta 2-2 is down!" _

The remaining Crusader begin to back up as it fired at one of the two Scorpions. Its shell pierced right through the front and a split moment later the second Scorpion was up in flames. The Crusader tank managed to avoid another shell then stopped its backwards momentum as it fired a shell in return. This one exploded off the side, immobilizing it but still leaving it a threat.

The Crusader was about to deal the killing blow, until three rockets streaked towards it. They all slammed into the tank's side, tearing apart the armour. For a moment it seemed as if the tank was fine, until it exploded in a brilliant flash. McCoy scanned the roads for where the attack came from when he spotted a Nod Rocket Buggy moving towards them. It was slightly larger then the standard Nod Attack Buggies, and that was to accommodate the large missile pods bolted to the top. They were lightly armoured and could be easily destroyed by even hand held anti tank weapons. But their range made them deadly to any GDI armoured units.

The four Strykers opened fire with their heavy guns, trying to destroy the Rocket Buggy. Seeing that they were clearly outmatched, Major Wilson ordered them to retreat and find another route. Only to find a company's worth of infantry behind them. Bullets started to ping off the armour, but McCoy and his squad still ducked their heads.

"Rodriguez get us out of here!" He yelled.

Rodriguez didn't reply as he turned the vehicle to follow the others. The Rocket Buggy was still in front of them and had set it's sights on the lead Stryker. But the endless stream of bullets ripping into it finally found their mark as the Buggy exploded. More explosions went of seconds later as the rockets cooked off. One of the Strykers then attempted to cross the intersection, but was destroyed by the Scorpion tank that was still active.

"Everyone out! We can take cover in those buildings. We're too exposed out here!" Major Wilson barked out.

McCoy didn't have to repeat the order as Rodriguez drove the Stryker up onto the sidewalk, creating cover for the GDI troops to get into the small alleyway. They all piled out of the vehicle as it was being pelted with bullets. He turned to see the others trying to fight their way across the street, several GDI soldiers fell to the ground dead. McCoy and his squad turned and fired on the Nod attackers, using their Stryker as cover. They laid down a wall of fire as the others again attempted to cross the road. Again more soldiers didn't make it, save for the Major and two others.

They then retreated further down the alley before picking a door at random. Reed kicked the door open and they all piled in, McCoy and West being the last two to enter. He closed the door just as Nod troops flooded into the alley, then proceeded to follow the others up a fire escape. They reached the second floor and found themselves in an apartment building. Again choosing a door at random they all huddled into an abandoned apartment and gathered in the living room. King immediately went to the window, which overlooked the street where the Scorpions were. Two were still burning while the third sat unmoving, its crews having got out to check over the damage. He could hear the faint sound of soldiers yelling as they swarmed through the streets, looking for them.

McCoy settled into a couch and sighed, letting his muscles rest for a moment. The others like wise relaxed save for King who remained by the window, and Major Wilson. He was pacing around the room talking into his tacpad.

"Command come in. This is Delta 1-1, be advised we are currently pinned down and have been reduced to half strength. Both Delta 2-1 and 2-2 have been KIA. We need reinforcements!"

McCoy shot Wilson a look as they waited for a response. The others like wise were waiting with baited breath. Finally Lieutenant Sergio responded.

_"Delta 1 we read you loud and clear. Be advised that we can not, I repeat, can not send you any reinforcements at this time. Nod forces are still attacking the base and we can't redeploy any assets. Advise you remain where you are until we can assist. Over?"_ Sergio sounded sympathetic, but McCoy could detect frustration in his voice. Who it was aimed at he didn't know.

"Yeah, copy command. Thanks for nothing." Wilson ended the call and muttered a string of profanities under his breath.

"Okay people listen up. We have Nod patrols outside looking for us, we've lost half the unit, and command is sitting with their thumb up their ass. We can't get back to base and we still have a pilot to rescue. So I'm open to suggestions."

Gerhan, Reed, and Rodriguez looked at the Major before looking down at their feet. West and the two other soldiers who were with Wilson were standing in the kitchen while King was still keeping overwatch. After a moment McCoy decided to speak up.

"Well if we can't go back. We might as well go forward. Better then sitting here waiting to get caught."

"That's the spirit." Wilson replied more optimistically. The others nodded their heads and like wise seemed in better spirits.

"Sir, you should come here. Think I found where the pilot is."

McCoy and Wilson joined King by the window and followed his gaze across the street to an open area with a few factories. King then pointed out three small warehouses being guarded by a Nod Attack Buggy and two squads of infantry. He could also see several Attack Bikes parked alongside one warehouse on the far end. Wilson brought up his tacpad again and said.

"Good eye Private. Our man is in the middle one."

Gerhan walked over and joined them.

"How do we get over there? There's a whole company between us and him. Plus even if we do get him out, how do we get back to base?"

"One step at a time Captain. First to get there without being seen by the patrols. If we stick to the alleys, we might be able to swing around." Wilson looked at the gathered force, a sad look crossed his face as the realization of having lost most of his men hit him.

"Take five people. Then we move."

The Major walked off into a bathroom and shut the door. McCoy decided to leave the man to be alone for a moment. The others simply relaxed and checked over their gear. Gerhan grabbed a few more clips off Reed, while West and Wilson's two men were chatting in the kitchen. McCoy got up and sat by King, who was still by the window but was no longer looking outside. The Scorpion crew were still working on fixing the broken tread while Nod soldiers seemed to have given up looking for them and proceeded down the road towards the GDI base. King took a drink from his canteen and fiddled with the fire switch on his M8, switching from single fire to fully automatic to single again.

"How you holding up?" McCoy asked as he bit into a candy bar from his ration pack.

"Good to go Sarge. You know me." The young man replied earnestly. McCoy smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Good to hear. Up for cards when we get back to base?"

"Only if Reed plays. I enjoy cleaning him out."

"That's only because you cheat!" Reed exclaimed from the couch. The others laughed just as Wilson reappeared.

"We good to go team?" He asked stoically.

"Yes sir!" They said in unison.

They made their way back down the fire escape. West then slowly opened the door and checked the alleyway. When he reported that it was clear they all made their way back outside and carefully proceeded towards the warehouses. They darted across the street and into another alley, careful to avoid the tank crew. Slowly they made their way into the industrial park and took cover behind a large flatbed truck. Ahead of them was the Buggy and the squads defending the captured pilot.

"Any ideas on how to take out that Buggy?" Wilson asked.

"Two 40mm grenades should do it. Rodriguez, West, use your underslung launchers. The rest of us will provide cover." McCoy ordered.

"Yes sir." They replied in unison.

"Don't miss."

West nodded his head as the two moved into position. The others stood up from behind the truck and took aim. Most of the Nod troops were armed with standard AKs, but more then a few had more advanced SCAR rifles. McCoy took aim at one soldier he guessed to be a Sergeant or the Brotherhood equivalent to a squad leader.

"Okay people on my go." Wilson started. "Three. Two. One, open fire!"

Together the seven of them opened up on the Nod soldiers. They were caught completely by surprise and several of them fell before they could return fire. The Buggy turned its heavy gun on them but West and Rodriguez fired their grenades. They arched through the air and collided into the Buggy, the twin explosions ripped the vehicle apart. The two quickly added their fire with the others and already they had taken out one squad. Three Nod soldiers broke rank and ran inside the warehouse, leaving the last two guards outside to be mercilessly cut down.

"My guys move forward." McCoy ordered.

He and his squad advanced on the warehouse. While Wilson took Gerhan and the other two around to the back. As they got closer he heard someone shout out to him

"Don't come any closer infidel, or I kill this fascist pig!" The man sounded desperate but he tried to seem menacing.

McCoy held up his hand indicating for his squad to stop. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Wilson move closer, he quickly looked back so as not to give the Major away.

"We just want our friend back. We can settle this rationally. You give him back and we walk away." McCoy said calmly.

"Sarge what are you doing? We don't negotiate with fucking Noddies." Reed protested. McCoy silenced him with a stare.

"Fuck you fascists! Leave now or I will kill him."

"You're outnumbered. Give him to us and we'll leave you alone. There is no point in fighting anymore, Kane is dead."

"Kane lives in death!"

There was the loud bang of a flashbang grenade going off. McCoy quickly rushed inside to find three Nod soldiers stumbling around rubbing their eyes. He quickly fired three shots, killing them all instantly. The others joined him moments later, as he moved towards a man tied to a chair. McCoy began untying him as he started moaning.

"What the fuck man. A little warning next time?"

McCoy just chuckled as he finished cutting the rope, the pilot immediately began rubbing at his forehead.

"Fuck now I have a headache."

"Quit your bitching Garson and be grateful." Gerhan chided. Garson opened his eyes and smiled broadly.

"Gerhan! You're okay, thank God."

"Yeah I'm fine. Where is Caleb? Did you see what happened to him?"

"Sorry but no. There was just so much going on. It felt like they were ready for us."

"Bugger!"

They all turned to the Major who was furiously tapping his tacpad.

"They must have moved the last pilot. It says he's right in the middle of the Nod base."

Gerhan and Garson exchanged looks. McCoy grabbed a SCAR-H off one of the dead soldiers and tossed it to Garson who grabbed it mid air.

"What's the plan sir? Keep moving or wait for command?" He asked as he turned to face the Major.

"Unless you're secretly a commando and didn't tell me, then I don't see how we could storm that base. No we will wait for command." He pulled up the tacpad and opened the built in radio.

"Command this is Delta 1-1. Be advised we have retrieved the second pilot but still need evac. Please advise."

_"Good work Delta. Hold position there, we will make our way to you."_ The Lieutenant's voice was still impassive.

"Copy command." Wilson turned to the others and sighed deeply.

"Okay people sit tight. Reinforcements are on the way, we wait for them, then we can go rescue our last man."

They all nodded in agreement save for King who was positioned by the door and staring through his rifle scope.

"Uh Major. I suggest we find a better place to hold up. Large Nod force moving this way."

Both McCoy and Wilson ran over to see what the Private was talking about. Sure enough he could see two Scorpion tanks and two dozens foot soldiers making their way towards them. McCoy looked around and spotted a tall office building and pointed towards it.

"We can wait in there."

Wilson just nodded and said.

"Let's move people!"

They all ran towards the office building. No longer concerned with remaining hidden, they ran at full speed. They reached the front doors and pushed their way inside. Like most of the city the building was deserted. Wilson moved towards the stairs and called over his shoulder.

"Up the stairs. We can hold on the top floor."

They stormed up the stairs all the way to the seventh floor. They came out into a hall with several large offices, carefully they made their way to one at the end of the hall on the right. McCoy was about to open the door when he heard voices on the other side. Quickly he called Reed up who then shouldered his rifle as McCoy opened the door as slowly as he could. Inside three Nod soldiers were sitting at a table playing cards, their rifles left on a computer desk. At the far end of the office was ammo crates with several sniper rifles balanced on top. And stacked neatly against the wall were Stinger missile launchers and RPGs.

McCoy threw the door wide open and Reed fired a single burst into the room. He killed two soldiers, knocking them to the floor. While the third jumped to his feet and ran for his weapon. McCoy put a bullet into his head and sent him crashing into the desk. With the room cleared they moved inside, King immediately went to grab one of the sniper rifles, a simple dragunov sniper. McCoy made his way to the window where he could see the Nod force still making it's way towards them.

"Looks like they know where we are. King go up to the roof, wait till they get in range." He ordered.

"Yes sir." King grabbed a few extra magazines of ammunition then made for the door.

"Santagato, Rogers. Grab those RPGs and join him on the roof. Use them to take out those tanks." Wilson added.

The two men acknowledged and grabbed the weapons before following King to the roof. McCoy watched the Nod force inch closer towards them, his heart began to beat faster as adrenaline started pumping again. Waiting for King and the others to reach the roof felt like an eternity, in reality it was less then ten minutes.

_"In position. Waiting for your mark Sarge."_ King reported calmly.

McCoy continued to watch the Nod forces, the tanks had fallen back slightly to let the infantry take the lead. When they got close enough that he could see the Scorpion's tail insignia on the tanks, he gave the order.

"Take them down."

Two rockets streaked down from the roof and raced straight towards one of the Scorpions. Both rockets found their mark and the tank was rocked violently. Thick smoke began to billow out as smaller explosions tore the vehicle apart. The infantry then began running for the building but one by one many started falling over dead. Samuel King was deadly with a rifle, and death incarnate with a sniper rifle. However despite his skill, several Nod troops managed to make it inside. Wilson prepared the others for when they would storm this level. McCoy kept watch on the fighting outside as two more rockets raced down to the second tank, as King kept firing his sniper rifle. Both rockets missed their mark and the tank proceeded unhindered.

_"Shit! Rocket Buggy!"_ King screamed over the radio. McCoy felt cold dread course through him.

"Get off the roof!" He yelled.

There was no response, the Buggy was still a fair distance away but it fired a salvo of missiles towards the office building. They streaked up to the roof and caused the entire building to shake. Debris rained down past the window and McCoy kept calling frantically into his radio. All he received was static until he heard someone coughing.

_"We're alright. Making our way back down."_ King managed to gasp out.

McCoy sighed in relief but that didn't last long as he noticed both the Scorpion and the Rocket Buggy readying to fire at them. Then the Buggy exploded, burning debris sent flying. The tank followed soon after, and through the smoke and flames he could see GDI Crusader tanks rolling towards them. The infantry that were ready to storm the building turned to face the new threat and were promptly cut down by a group of Humvees that swarmed around the tanks.

McCoy and the others just stood there and watched as GDI forces tore into the Nod troops. Within moments of their arrival, the battle had ended. The team made their way back down the office building and met the GDI forces outside. Already the tanks had moved forward and the Humvees were close behind. However McCoy spotted an officer moving towards them.

"Gentlemen it's good to see you, heard you called for the cavalry. Colonel Young at your service." The Colonel held out his hand to Wilson, who shook it promptly.

"Thanks for the rescue Colonel. What's your objective? I doubt you brought all of this just for a rescue Op."

"You are correct Major. Command has decided to push back against the Brotherhood. We're moving on the Nod stronghold."

"Excellent, we will join you then. Our last pilot is being held there."

"Sounds good to me. I'll give you a lift." The Colonel turned to indicate a M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier.

They all gathered inside and found seats close to the door, as the rest of the APC was already occupied by GDI soldiers. A few gave the two pilots a quizzical look but kept silent. McCoy could see West seemed to visibly relax as he was now inside a heavily armoured vehicle. He just rested his head back and waited for the moment they were thrown back into hell.

… … …

Pain raced through his body as he was punched again. He involuntarily coughed up a wad of blood as the impact was directed to the centre of his chest. Another punch and another wave of pain, his limp body swaying slightly as he was tied to a pipe in the ceiling.

"You will tell me what you know, pig." The Nod officer spoke in a growl.

His green eyes burning with hate, white toned face contorted in unbridled anger. He adjusted his officers cap and rubbed his right hand which was slightly bruised from constantly punching Caleb.

"I keep telling you, I'm just a pilot. I don't know shit."

The officer growled and punched him again, causing more coughing and more blood. He tried to spit it into the man's face, but it came out as a weak dribble that dropped down his chin.

"I will ask one more time, because I grow tired of this. Tell me what you know."

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you." Caleb sounded broken, he couldn't take the abuse any longer. The officer smiled and leaned in close to him.

"See that wasn't so hard. Now then, tell me everything."

"Soylent green. Is made out of people."

The officer stared at him for a minute, processing what he had just said. His face turned red and he punched him as hard as he could. Caleb coughed up more blood again but this time he laughed. It was stupid to anger your interrogator, but if he was going to die then it might as well be pissing off some Nod asshole.

"You think you're funny? Well perhaps you would like to continue this conversation with a confessor? They are very good at getting answers from people. And they won't go easy on you like I did." The officer turned and walked to the door, where two soldiers stood guard.

"Bring him to the Hind."

They silently acknowledged the order and moved to untie him. He fell to the floor and was then roughly brought to his feet. They did not retie his bonds however and simply held tightly to his arms. He hung limply in their grip and pretended to be weakened from the beating, which he honestly was. They led him outside and it took him a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness.

He found himself in a small base built atop a hill. In the distance he could see the city, and all around the base's perimeter were stinger sites and tunnel network entrances. Large tunnels with anti personnel turrets placed atop. There was a barracks and motor pool, along with a makeshift command post and the building he had just been inside. Scorpion tanks and Attack Buggies were arrayed at the entrance, obviously expecting some sort of attack. They led him to a small helipad where a Hind helicopter, painted in the black and red of the Brotherhood, sat waiting.

They pushed him forward and he stumbled to the ground, in a feeble attempt to buy himself some time. The officer had already climbed aboard the Hind and looked back at him with disgust. The two soldiers quickly grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. At that exact moment there was an explosion at the front entrance of the base. They all turned to see the stinger sites and armoured units were now trading fire with someone below the hill. The guards grip on his arms slackened slightly, enough for him to break free. He quickly brought his elbow into the left hand guard's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He quickly grabbed his AK-47 and fired a burst point blank into the right guard, covering himself in blood and gore. He then turned and brought the butt of the rifle down into the other guard's temple, causing him to fall to the ground dead. Finally he turned back to the Hind to see the officer frantically trying to close the bay door. Caleb held down on the trigger, not bothering to aim or conserve ammo. His bullets ripped the man apart and his body fell backwards into the troop compartment.

The Hind lifted off, Caleb went to fire at it but his rifle clicked dry. A split second later however the Hind exploded in a bright flash. Burning debris came raining down around him. He whirled around to see a Crusader tank push into the base. Followed by others as they rolled past the burning remains of the Nod defence. He began laughing at the sight, unable to control himself.

Nod soldiers continued to put up a desperate defence but it was clear that it would not hold. Humvees chewed them apart as GDI infantry began clearing through the buildings. Meanwhile the tanks reduced what few defensive structures that were left into rubble. Finally an APC rolled up to him, it's back ramp lowering. Two figures got out and ran straight towards him, flight suits stained with blood and sweat. Gerhan practically tackled him to the ground as she embraced him.

"Caleb! Oh my God, you look like shit. Are you okay?" She asked like a concerned mother.

"Yeah I'm fine." Caleb looked up to see a gruff looking Sergeant walk over to them.

"I suggest you save the reunion until we get back to base." He said this as he motioned to the APC.

Caleb and the others quickly got inside. As the door closed and the APC began moving, Caleb closed his eyes and smiled, happy to just be alive.

… … …

It was early the next day, the sun had just begun its ascent into the sky. Mark Lancaster was already in the command room, studying the map of the city. Even though the base had been destroyed and the Nod forces driven out, there were still pockets of resistance. And given that he was reluctant to use anymore air units, it became a slow process of patrolling the city for any stragglers. He took a sip of his coffee as he regarded the tedious work ahead. But he couldn't help but think about the missions failure. Sure they had taken a Nod stronghold and rescued the pilots, but a wanted war criminal got away.

He placed his cup down and switched the computer to display the dossier of General Rhodall Juhziz. Commander of Nod forces in Africa, along side the late General Gabriel Artellos. He had managed to escape GDI forces after the war ended, and later emerged as one of countless Nod warlords who had carved up Africa. He was also the one responsible for the nuclear attack in China. Now more then a decade later the man was here, in the Middle East, and had been meeting with his lieutenants. They almost had him but…

Sergio Andreas walked into the command room. Uniform crisp and pressed and walked as if he was on parade. He smiled broadly at Mark and gave a salute to which Mark replied with his own. But he could see the tired look in Sergio's eyes, the weight of command was a heavy one for him.

"Good morning sir. You're up early." He remarked cheerfully.

"No rest for the wicked." Mark replied in the same tone.

Sergio went to reply but his focus shifted to the screen behind Mark, and his mood darkened.

"We almost had that bastard. He was right there and he slipped away." Sergio clenched his fists in anger, Mark just sighed and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it so much. Yes he got away, but we'll find him."

"But if we had captured him then we would be one step closer to destroying the Brotherhood." Mark felt a pang of annoyance at the young man's naïvety.

"Sergio, the Brotherhood is not going anywhere any time soon. I'm sorry but the reality is the Brotherhood of Nod is gaining support, not losing it. Even when we find Juhziz, there will just be another to take his place. So long as there is Tiberium on earth, Nod will be a constant threat."

Rage flashed into Sergio's eyes.

"Then we will never stop fighting! Not until those bastards pay for everything! Not until they suffer for Italy!"

Sergio visibly tried to calm himself after his outburst. Mark was thankful that they were the only two in the command room at the moment.

"It isn't just Italy. The whole world is suffering." Mark said calmly.

"I know sir. Forgive me for speaking out of term."

"All is forgiven." Mark was about to say something else when EVA interrupted him.

"Incoming transmission from General Granger."

The two men walked over to the communications terminal and waited. Seconds later the General's face appeared and Mark could tell that he did not have good news.

_"Commander Lancaster, I've read over the report. Damn shame about the HVT, but we have bigger priorities right now. I'm calling you boys back home."_

Mark was genuinely shocked. He didn't expect to be rotated back Stateside so early, there were still Nod holdouts throughout the Middle East. There was something in the General's expression that told him there was something else bothering him.

"Understood sir. We'll pack up and be home before dinner. Is there something going on sir?"

Granger scratched the back of his head and hesitated a moment before he answered.

_"There's trouble on the homefront."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Zagreb, Croatia**

**August 16****th****, 2011**

**1500**

The limousine glided down the streets of the Croatian capital, passing pedestrians who would sometimes stop and stare, wondering who was inside. People walked through the city going down streets that had once been torn apart by war ten years ago. Where battle tanks had once driven through while soldiers fought block by block, now there were families and happy couples. It was a marvel at how quickly people could rebuild and move on after such a devastating event.

Inside the limo, two men watched the city go by, enjoying the air conditioning and expensive champagne. Wearing an exquisite white Arabian thobe and head dress, was a middle aged man. Dark skinned and with brown eyes that could pierce a man's soul, he appeared as someone on a regular business trip. That wasn't too far from the truth, but the business that General Rhodall Juhziz was conducting was far from normal.

Sitting beside him was another dark skinned man of Egyptian descent. Far younger and wearing a more traditional dark grey suit, Hassan served as something akin to a protégé to the General.

Both men were on their way to a meeting with other prominent Brotherhood leaders. The goal was to discuss the future of Nod, but often times it ended in petty bickering and angry tempers. Hassan had little hope that this meeting would be any different, yet Juhziz seemed confident that the others would listen to him this time.

Hassan took a sip from his champagne and continued watching the passing city. They eventually passed by a police van marked with the GDI logo - the city still under occupation ten years after the war. However despite the presence of military police, Nod operated unopposed thanks to the unwavering loyalty of the citizens. This had allowed them to survive in Europe after Kane's death.

Hassan mulled over that thought. Their Messiah was gone. Yet Nod lived on, its faith spreading farther each day, as did Tiberium. There in laid the truth: the more the green crystal consumed the Earth, the more people flocked to the Brotherhood for answers or promises of salvation.

'Sheep,' Hassan mentally sneered to himself. 'They were all just sheep seeking protection from the wolves.'

Hassan was pulled from his thoughts as the limo stopped outside of a posh looking hotel. An armed guard wearing a black formal suit walked up and opened the door for them. Hassan got out first, and quickly scanned the area. Several Nod guards were placed around the hotel to keep the VIPs safe. None of the passing civilians seemed suspicious, so he stepped aside and allowed Juhziz to exit the limousine. The two of them walked into the hotel and into a lavish lobby. Upon entering, another guard immediately escorted them to a large conference room where the other Nod leaders were already waiting.

The room was painted with a soft cream colour, while golden light fixtures and expensive paintings lined the walls. The floor was made of a dark patterned carpet, and in the centre of the room was a massive oak table. It stretched from one side of the room to the other, with multiple leather office chairs to accommodate the gathered members.

Hassan took a seat next to Juhziz, who sat at the end of table, directly across from General Oslo: the Supreme Commander of Nod's European forces. He was dressed like some old German Kaiser, wearing an elegant military style suit with gold filament. He sat at the head of the table like some great patriarch, and the starch white handle bar mustache helped aid that image.

Hassan noted that there were still a few vacant seats, which meant they were still waiting for more people. That gave him an opportunity to scan the room and see who else had come to attend the meeting. Directly beside Oslo, and directly across from Hassan, was Grand Confessor Julius; he was the only one in the room who openly wore the colors of the Brotherhood. Given that he was a religious leader and not a military one, he had managed to stay off GDI's wanted list. Hassan could only scoff at the sight of the '_Grand' Confessor._ The man looked feeble and seemed to sink into his seat slightly as if hiding from the others. Hassan snorted in derision at the priest.

Another man who had earned his contempt was an Arabian man dressed in similar garb to Juhziz. Prince Kassad was a member of a wealthy Saudi Arabian family that had secretly supported the Brotherhood. The funds that he brought had helped keep their war effort running. Unfortunately, this made the man think he was someone important in the upper echelons. Now thanks to the position it bought him, the Prince played lord over Nod's dwindling hold over Egypt.

Juhziz seemed to notice Hassan's frustration, and leaned in to whisper to him: "See how the Brotherhood has suffered under Oslo's ineptitude. To sink so low as to rely on weak cowards like them."

Hassan just nodded in agreement. The rest of the gathered people were battle commanders, many who had served during the war, as well as representatives from loyal or supportive countries. There were even members of prominent corporations that had benefited from the Brotherhood's Tiberium harvesting. It was an odd and diverse collection of people, much like the Brotherhood itself.

Hassan's gaze eventually fell on a man sitting to Oslo's right. He was once one of Kane's science ministers, serving the Prophet directly in researching ways to weaponize Tiberium. He also kept his face and name hidden from everyone, not even Oslo knew what this man's name was. So most people within the Brotherhood simply referred to him as Dr. Thrax. Despite his place next to Oslo, he was considered more neutral, offering new weaponry to any Nod splinter cell that could afford them.

Hassan finished his evaluation of the gathered participants, and turned his attention to the room at large. Everyone was speaking in hushed tones amongst themselves. They all seemed to be waiting impatiently for the last member to arrive.

When he did enter, quite a few people seemed surprised - Hassan included - as in walked the most well known drug lord from South America: Raul Vega. He ignored the stares he received and sat down in the vacant seats, and Hassan felt even more angry at how far the Brotherhood had fallen if these were the allies they relied upon.

Turning away in a huff, Hassan finished looking around the room and noted the absence of the Black Hand. Kane's elite and secretive army had simply disappeared following the war, and no one had heard of them since the death of Kane and Gideon Raveshaw.

Hassan turned as Oslo cleared his throat and stood up, bringing everyone's attention to him. The meeting was finally about to start.

"Welcome, brothers and sisters. Thank you all for attending this meeting." Oslo spoke with a commanding voice. He clearly knew how to lead people with words as well as battle tactics. "Our holy Brotherhood is on the precipice of annihilation. Our only hope to secure our future is to unite under a single leader. No one could ever hope to replace Kane, nor should they. They should simply rule in his stead, and guide the brotherhood into the Tiberium future that was promised to us." Oslo puffed out his chest slightly as he took in the room.

Hassan just rolled his eyes. It was the same speech every time.

The Grand Confessor suddenly stood up and bowed his head.

"Kane lives in death." Julius said softly.

"Kane lives is death." Everyone repeated reverently. Julius returned to his seat and Oslo continued his speech.

"We need strong leadership. United leadership. Our Brotherhood is being torn asunder both from without and from within. I have made this speech before, and each time we walk away, divided. But we must put aside our petty bids for power and come together as a people once again, so that we may continue our war against the oppressors."

Juhziz scoffed loudly, drawing Oslo's ire. Hassan quickly realised that had been intentional as all eyes were now on him.

"You still act like the war never ended," Juhziz accused. "It's time to wake up old man: the war is over and we lost. You will lead us to ruin if you continue to fight GDI on equal ground."

That earned a few nods of agreement from people gathered around the room.

"And I suppose you have a different strategy, General?" Oslo asked, condescendingly.

"I do. We can not fight GDI in the open. They are simply too numerous and too powerful. Instead, we must strike at them where they are most vulnerable and make them weak. Our brothers and sisters in Kazakhstan cry to be free from GDI tyranny. The raids on UN convoys in Almaty, the riots in Astana. The country is ripe for a crusade of liberation."

Juhziz looked pleased with himself. Hassan only knew minor details of the General's plan, but given what he did know, he wasn't sure it would be enough to sway the others. A few did seem interested in his plan, but Oslo just laughed derisively.

"Need I remind you of your failed plan in Beijing? Or your defeat in Hong Kong? Or how your attempt to turn China to our cause only ended up driving them further into the hands of our enemies! Or how about your more recent failures, like losing Baghdad or nearly being captured in Yemen? You are an incompetent idiot, Juhziz. You would only destroy our Brotherhood and in the process, you would be basically be doing GDI a favour."

What few people that had seemed to be coming to their side quickly shifted back to Oslo. Hassan could see the anger boiling just below the surface on Juhziz's face.

"This plan will not fail. If we strike where GDI is weakest, where their influence can be broken, then we can achieve victory. You can not win a war of attrition, General."

Once again, people seemed to consider his position. Hassan noticed Julius looking back and forth between Juhziz and Oslo.

"I will not commit my forces to some failed cause. You have no place in this Brotherhood." Oslo dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Juhziz shot to his feet, anger threatening to break free.

"We can not stay on the defensive, we must strike quickly and efficiently. You can hide in your hole in Kosovo. I shall bring GDI to its knees and make Nod a force to be feared once again."

"Enough of this!"

All eyes turned to Julius. Hassan was shocked to see the man being so assertive. A hardened look on his face as he looked at each and every person gathered.

"This bickering has gotten us nowhere. We dishonour Kane and his vision with this infighting. Do you dare spit upon his legacy? Do you dare deny the guidance of the spirit hand of Kane? He wishes for his children to be united, to embrace the gift of Tiberium. Let us end this feud and be brothers once more."

He spread his arms in a welcoming motion, his voice smooth but stern as if he were giving a sermon. Now attention was split between the three of them: the holy clergyman, the grand tactician, and the upstart general. The room was silent as they waited for one of them to speak. After a long moment, it was Juhziz who broke the silence.

"I will honour Kane's vision by ensuring our place in this world with the blood of GDI. And I shall do it with, or without your help."

At that, Juhziz turned to leave the room. Hassan got to his feet and quickly followed him out, but not before seeing Julius frown deeply and Oslo guffaw in triumph.

Hassan struggled to keep up with the General as he stormed out of the room, heading towards the elevator rather then the front door. Hassan joined him inside and pressed the button for the underground garage. As the elevator began its descent, Juhziz let out a long sigh.

"That bastard will never see reason. It would not surprise me if it was him who tipped off GDI about our meeting in Yemen."

Hassan didn't reply. Instead, he suppressed a shudder at the memory of narrowly escaping death at the hand of an enemy Orca craft.

"If that is the case, then perhaps it is not wise to anger him? We do not need a war on two fronts, sir." Hassan remarked.

Juhziz crossed his arms and looked into the ceiling for a moment before answering.

"That old man does not concern me. Let him wage his war; we shall see to Nod's future ourselves."

"I do not mean to question you. But how do you plan to do that? Our forces are severely diminished, and we lack the funds."

Juhziz turned his gaze to Hassan and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The faithful and the desperate people of Kazakhstan shall help bolster our ranks. I will go to speak with the cell leaders there. Have faith in me Hassan."

Hassan didn't reply. Instead, he just nodded his head and waited for the elevator to reach the garage.

"When shall we depart then? It will take time to rally what is left of our forces." He asked after a moment.

"I shall depart immediately. There are a great many things to be done. You, however, will take our current force and go to Turkey."

"Why there?"

"I shall explain later. But it is critical to my plans, and to Nod's survival."

When it was clear that the General would not elaborate, Hassan simply bowed his head slightly and remained silent. Finally the elevator doors opened and they made their way to the parked limo where two guards waited. They opened the doors for them and just as Juhziz was about to get inside, they heard someone call out to them.

The guards visibly tensed and Hassan put himself between Juhziz and whoever was approaching. Much to his surprise, it was Prince Kassad and a single guard. He stopped just short of the vehicle and smoothed out his thobe as Juhziz stepped out to face him.

"Prince Kassad. Why are you here?" The General asked cautiously.

"I come offering my support to your cause."

Hassan studied the man intently, and from what he could, tell the Prince seemed genuine.

"Why should I trust you, Kassad? You're loyal to Oslo are you not?"

"I'm loyal to the Brotherhood. That means I can support both of you, if need be. I agree with you in that we must strike back at GDI, not be on the defensive. If my support helps you in your cause, then we all win."

"How noble of you Kassad, and I'm sure you've made a similar offer to Oslo. Trying to hedge your bets?"

"I am only concerned for the future of our Brotherhood. If any alliance inadvertently benefits me, then that is merely an unintended bonus, of course."

"You are a vile snake, Kassad."

Juhziz stared Kassad down, and when the other man didn't budge, the General smiled. He bowed his head slightly to which Kassad replied in kind.

"But… I am grateful for you help, brother. I promise you this: GDI will rue the day it defied the Brotherhood of Nod."

"I shall keep in touch. Peace through power."

"Peace through power."

They watched Kassad and his guard walk away deeper into the garage. When it was clear he was out of earshot, Hassan turned to face Juhziz.

"Do you really think we can trust him?" Hassan asked.

"Of course not. But if he is true about offering us aid, then I will not deny it. His help will be instrumental to my plan."

Juhziz got back into the limousine and Hassan followed. When they were inside, the vehicle began to make it's way out back onto the street. He turned to look at the hotel to see the other members of the meeting slowly leaving as well. He sighed internally as he regarded that disaster of a meeting. The inner politicking and petty feuds had done more damage to Nod then any GDI army could. His beloved Brotherhood was falling apart, as was the rest of the world around them. He could only hope that his faith in the General was not misplaced.

"I need you to contact Kell: tell him to get things ready for your arrival." Juhziz suddenly ordered.

"Of course, sir. Will you tell me what's so important in Turkey now?"

"Not yet. But I will tell you that there is a GDI base that must be removed. Once that is done, you can join me in Kazakhstan. Then we shall show both GDI and the Brotherhood that I am not to be trifled with."

The limo drove back down the streets towards the airport where they had arrived from. Hassan was busy looking out the window, unsure of their future.

… … …

**New York City, U.S.A**

**August 20****th****, 2011**

**1800**

The massive conference hall inside the U.N. building was an impressive sight. It was tiered in a way that the speaker stood at the bottom, with the rows for dignitaries and influential figures working it's way up. Against the far wall behind the podium, was the massive symbol for the United Nations, a depiction of the globe flattened out so as to equally represent all nations. Light blue banners of the same symbol were also hung up, as were golden banners depicting the diving eagle of the Global Defense Initiative. The room was packed with dignitaries of member countries, as well as their militaries. Prominent figures in the worlds of business and science, and above all, the press.

Sydney Mobius sat somewhere in the middle row. She and her father had worked for over a decade to unlock the secrets of Tiberium. And in that time, they had made little progress in the way of stopping its spread. The alien substance wasn't just leeching precious minerals from the ground, it was actively altering the climate and geography of any region it corrupted. Any life, human or otherwise, was destroyed or consumed. In just the few short years that Tiberium had arrived, Italy and half of the world was unrecognizable.

But it wasn't just the environment that was suffering. The global economy was faltering, and the world seemed as if it was going to fall into anarchy.

She stopped herself from thinking too negatively, least she put herself into a melancholy mood. The din of conversation suddenly began to die down, drawing her attention back to the front. Sydney then sat up straighter as three people walked out onto the stage, one she recognized as her father, Ignatio Mobius. The other two were U.N. General Secretary Charles Olivetti, and GDI spokesman Joseph Liang.

The room grew instantly silent as Olivetti took to the podium, while Sydney's father and Liang stood behind him.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome. I wish that today's conference was a pleasant one, but sadly it is not. We stand upon the brink of collapse, and today we must take action to prevent it. I, of course, refer to Tiberium, the horrid sickness that threatens our beloved Earth."

The term, _preaching to the choir, _came to Sydney's mind as Olivetti spoke. Everyone knew the dangers of Tiberium as all anyone had to do was look outside their window to see that.

A projection screen lowered over the UN sigil behind the podium. Images began cycling through: farmland being overrun by Tiberium fields. People packing what few belongings they could into cars as green crystals sprouted up in city parks or pushed through asphalt streets. Hospitals overflowing with patients covered in crystalline protrusions and doctors in full hazmat gear. The images switched again to that of a huge tent city, with sad looking children in front of a sign that read, _Welcome to New Detroit._

"The devastation caused by this unprecedented disaster has shaken the very foundation of our global community. Floods of refugees, societal collapse, and a declining economy. I know what I say sounds like hyperbole, that this is being blown out of proportions. But believe me when I say this: humanity is staring at the face of extinction."

He paused to let the gravity of what he said sink in. Sydney had worked close enough with Tiberium to know that Olivetti was actually underselling it.

"But there is hope. To prevent our nations from collapsing into total anarchy, we have a plan. As of two days ago, GDI peacekeepers were sent to the Midwestern States that are currently under martial law."

The room erupted into a chorus of voices, some seemed angry, while others frightened. Sydney remained quiet as she watched Olivetti try to calm the room down. She could understand why people were upset. With Tiberium now rampantly spreading throughout the United States, forcing the government to declare martial law, it forced people to accept a grim realization: that nowhere in the world was safe. This wasn't some crisis in a far off nation, it was happening in people's backyards.

"People, please! Settle down!" This call for calm came from Liang, one of the civilian faces of GDI. "As the General Secretary was trying to say, there is hope. And we must cling to this hope if all of mankind is to survive. The Global Defense Initiative has recently created a new civilian organization, known as the Board of Directors. This new system will help struggling nations navigate through this crisis, to help all peoples of the world. With your vote, powers normally held by the Security Council and the U.N. Assembly will be transferred to the Board. GDI will not only ensure global security, but it will now help prevent the collapse of our society, our cultures, and our way of life. We will only survive if we are all willing to make sacrifices, if we are all willing to stand united as one!"

The room once more erupted, but this time in thunderous cheering. People stood and clapped, faces of desperate hope. Sydney remained sitting, her clenched fists trembling.

Liang had just announced that the U.N. was effectively defunct, and that people would now be signing their liberties and rights over to GDI. And they were cheering for it.

The free world had died to the sound of applause.

… … …

**Author's note: Something important I wanted to do with this short story was explain how GDI transitioned from a coalition military under the U.N. into the dominant global superpower. I also wanted to explain how, despite losing the war and losing Kane, the Brotherhood not only survives, but grows in numbers and technology. So hopefully I was able to somewhat convey how both factions transitioned ****from Tiberian Dawn to Tiberian Sun.**

**A second thing that I wanted was for the whole series was to expand the world and background story. The Tiberium universe has a really interesting and somewhat dark backstory beyond what the games can show. So it's disappointing that the only 'expanded universe' we got was the terrible Tiberium Wars**** book. Hopefully I can help change that.**

**As always I hope everyone is enjoying**

**Until next time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Adana, Turkey**

**September 2****nd****, 2011**

**0700**

Hassan hated the cold, he hated the snow, and he hated the cramped van he was riding inside of. There were too many people trying to fit between communications gear and computer terminals, and despite the overwhelming number of bodies the inside of the van was somehow freezing. He tried to squeeze himself into a corner by the rear door to avoid brushing shoulders with the technicians who fiddled with their equipment as the van jostled it's way through the unpaved roads. He was utterly miserable, and the day only promised to get worse, given that he was to command a small force to attack a GDI airbase. And that the General still had yet to reveal what was even so important about this particular base in the first place.

To try and take his mind off things he looked out the rear window at the rest of the small convoy trudging it's way up the mountain road. Behind the radar van was two Nod BTR-80s, three Technicals, and two Rocket Buggies. They were making their way to a hidden outpost in the mountains where the rest of his forces were waiting for him. He could only hope that it would be enough, they had lost a lot of loyal forces back in Yemen.

Hassan was jostled violently as the van hit a large bump in the road, loose bits of equipment and empty food containers fell onto the floor, yet the other occupants looked unfazed. Hassan just grumbled to himself and prayed that they were almost at the outpost.

The van jostled again as it veered off the road and onto uneven terrain, Hassan tried to brace himself against the van walls as it struggled through the thick snow. Finally it drove back onto level ground and Hassan heaved a sigh of relief, then moved to look out the driver's window. Ahead of them was the small Nod outpost, a single Hand of Nod jutted from the mountainside, serving as both a barracks and forward command post. There was also a small supply depot and a makeshift Warfactory to help supply and maintain what limited vehicles he had. Arrayed around the base were Stinger sites and half-tracked Quad-cannons to help keep the base defended from GDI air patrols.

The van pulled up next to the Hand and Hassan hastily got out into the frigid air. He marched straight for the building, stopping only long enough to return the salutes being offered to him. He entered the building and pushed his way through soldiers and officers going about their duties and made his way into the control room, in place of where a chapel would have normally been built. Inside a handful of officers monitored archaic communications gear and quickly stood to attention when he entered, however he was more focused on a man standing off to the corner working on a high powered sniper rifle. He was a dark skinned man with a face etched in a permanent scowl, he was the Brotherhood's most lethal assassin, known to have killed both GDI and Nod targets with frightening efficiency. Jarmen Kell was certainly a man to be feared.

"So you finally made it. Maybe now we can actually get the job done." Kell said with distain as Hassan approached.

Normally he would have berated someone for daring to speak to him like that, but Kell was an oddity in the ranks of Nod, plus he would rather not find himself on the assassin's hit list.

"Of course. But first we must wait for the General." He tried to sound assertive but Kell was clearly not impressed.

"Why? He has already given me our objectives."

Hassan was genuinely shocked and a bit angry. Why would the General reveal his plan to Kell but not him? He quickly tried to suppress his shock and carried on as usual.

"Has he now? Very well then, what is our objective?"

Kell just scoffed as he placed his sniper rifle on his back with a shoulder strap.

"There is a GDI airbase nearby, he wants us to secure a precious package inside. GDI has been slowly dismantling the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the country, and this base currently houses one such nuke."

Hassan couldn't help but raise his eye brows in shock. Juhziz was after another nuclear bomb?

"And how exactly are we going to steal a nuke from a GDI base?"

"The bomb is currently dismantled into several pieces, to make it safe for transport. It is scheduled to be loaded onto a C-130 cargo plane today. The plan is simple, break into the base and hijack the plane. Actually pulling it off will be difficult. The base is very well defended and there seem to be no weaknesses in their defence." Kell finished his report and Hassan took a moment to mull it over. This certainly would not be an easy job.

"Our forces are simply too few for a full scale assault, it would be a total massacre. There must be some other way into the base." Hassan stated thoughtfully.

"Your concern for the troops is unnecessary and useless. They will die for the cause, and they will do so gladly."

A few of the officers nearby gave Kell unpleasant glares as he said that, but were quick to look away. Hassan however was not afraid to voice is objections.

"I do not doubt the conviction of our brothers, but I also do not intend to simply throw their lives away."

"Securing that bomb is our priority, nothing else. Our best strategy is to launch a frontal assault while we sneak in and complete the mission."

The two men stared each other down for a moment, both willing the other to break. Unfortunately Hassan could not see any other way so he backed down first.

"Fine, we'll do it your way. Let's plan our route of attack."

Kell gave a small smile and led him to a table with a map pinned to it by a combat knife. Hassan quickly studied over it and hummed in thought. From their outpost in the mountain there was a clear path down to the airbase. And a small town had sprouted up just outside it's perimeter. The only path would be across a bridge that spanned over a small ravine, which funneled into the town. It was not ideal to march in a straight line towards the enemy as it would leave them completely exposed. But if there truly was no other way, then all that mattered was securing the plane and getting back to Juhziz.

"We lead with the tanks and keep the AA in the back. That should help cover us in the event of an airstrike. Where is the bomb located exactly?" Hassan asked.

"According to our scouts the bomb components have been loaded onto a truck and is waiting to offload them onto the plane. Our main focus should be the primary runway then. But we must hurry, time is not on out side." Kell replied with a snarl.

Hassan nodded his head in agreement. He kept studying the layout of the GDI base and looked for the best way to achieve their objectives when a thought struck him.

"What does the General plan to do with a nuclear bomb?"

"What do you think he plans to do with it idiot? To strike at GDI." Kell waved his hand as if he was talking to an moronic child, and not the right hand of their commanding officer.

"Are you always this charming?" Hassan asked sarcastically.

Kell simply ignored him and made his way towards the door. Hassan sighed and reluctantly followed him back out into the cold mountain air. There his forces had assembled, five Scorpion tanks and twice as many Bradley light tanks. The vehicles had been extensively used by both sides during the war, but primarily had seen use by the Brotherhood. They were now ineffective compared to GDI's arsenal but he would have to rely on them for the upcoming battle. The rest of his force consisted of Buggies and Technicals as well as three Rocket Buggies, four Quad-cannons, and a host of infantry. It was not much, but it would have to make do.

Kell made his way towards a Technical and climbed into the front passenger seat. Hassan got into the back seat where another Nod soldier was already sitting. As he finished getting in the soldier handed him a SCAR rifle, Hassan quickly checked over his weapon and clicked the safety off, then reached for his radio.

"Hear me brothers and sisters of Nod. Today we have been given a great task, today we shall strike at our oppressors and take from them the weapons of their tyranny." Hassan had studied his whole life in the arts of war and statecraft, having been tailored by his father to rise through the ranks of the Brotherhood. "Our cause is just and our vengeance holy! We shall bring our enemies to ruin or die trying. Kane lives in death!"

_"Kane lives in death!" _

The chorus that came over the radio was reassuring, knowing that these men were true believers, it saddened him that many, if not all, would die today.

"Well spoken, now let's go." Kell said unceremoniously.

"All forces advance!"

The Nod force surged forward down the winding mountain pass. The sky gave warning of an approaching storm with a deep rumble. Fortunately it still sounded far off but that could change rapidly, he knew that this was no normal storm. Tiberium had brought countless changes to the world, one of which was deadly and awe inspiring storms known as Ion storms. They could swoop in and cause massive amounts of damage, it helped explain why GDI was dismantling the American bases in the region. Tiberium had it's sights on Turkey, and the Ion storm simply served as a vanguard for its invasion. The pure destructive forces brought on by Tiberium was truly a sign of its divine origins.

As they made their way down the pass, he suddenly became very concerned of GDI Orcas swooping down on them, he had already been at the receiving end of one and did not wish to repeat the experience. The convoy rolled on unmolested however and eventually came upon the bridge, a vast ravine stretched out below and the bottom was obscured by thick fog. The convoy had been forced to drive in a single line to navigate the mountain, but the bridge was wide enough to just barely allow them to drive side by side. Hassan had become so focused on watching the grey sky that he nearly jumped when his radio burst to life.

_"Commander! Radar has detected an incoming air patrol heading right for you. ETA is about five minutes."_

He cursed out loud, that wouldn't be enough time to avoid being detected. All they could do now was shoot them down and hope that would buy them enough time. He quickly called for his AA units.

"All Ballista units, be advised we have enemy air inbound. Bring the infidels down!" Hassan received a series of affirmatives.

He turned to look out the back window to see the large anti air guns bolted to the flatbeds swivel upwards in anticipation. The air seemed to grow tense as they waited for the enemy, concerned chatter began to fill the general radio frequency before someone silenced it.

It was just over five minutes later when they got the first glimpse of the GDI air patrol. Two Orcas were moving towards them slowly at first, but they quickly picked up speed when they spotted the convoy of Nod vehicles. Hassan clenched his fists tightly as he waited for the Orcas to unleash their rockets. But they never did as the Quad-cannons opened fire first, filling the air with thousands of armour piercing bullets, the bright tracers rounds clearly visible against the darkened sky. The fighters tried to desperately avoid being hit, but with the sheer amount of fire being thrown at them it quickly became a futile effort. Both Orcas were torn apart and bits of metal came raining down as the fighters were shredded apart. It was difficult to tell but Hassan swore he saw the bodies of the pilots plummet from the air and disappear somewhere amongst the rocky mountains.

With the patrol dealt with the convoy continued onwards. The road began to widen out further and the outline of the base started to become visible through breaks in the rock formations. Not wanting to be surprised again by any more patrols, Hassan called the radar operators.

"Brother Taylor, can you see anything on radar?"

The radio was silent for a brief moment _before a reply came._

_"Negative Commander, everything seems clear. But our scouts are reporting more activity on the runways. They must be preparing their Raptors."_

Hassan growled in annoyance. GDI had reacted far quicker then he had hoped. Kell must have overheard the conversation as he turned around in his seat to face him.

"Time has run out. We need to attack now!" Hassan gave another curse.

"Everyone advance! We must strike at the infidels with unshakable fury!"

The convoy moved faster at his command. The tanks up front surged forward and finally came into view of the small town just outside of the base. When Hassan could see himself, the sight shattered his already weak confidence. The base was surrounded by low concrete walls augmented by sandbag barricades. Tall guard towers and Patriot missile batteries were placed at regular intervals, and could easily cover each other regardless of where an enemy attacked. If he had a full army it would be a daunting task, but with only a small strike force? It would be impossible.

He pushed his doubts down and focused on the battle that had just erupted. His Scorpion and Bradley tanks had opened fire on the defences guarding the main entrance to the base. If there was to be one flaw with the GDI base, it would be that the town gave them some decent cover. Missiles fired from the Patriots would slam into the buildings, causing some to collapse into themselves, or others to burst into flames. His Rocket Buggies fired a return salvo and managed to destroy one of the Patriot batteries, cracking the wall. But it wasn't long before the GDI garrison reacted, Orcas lifted off from their pads, and Crusader tanks rolled out from the main gate. His own tanks wouldn't stand for long, so he ordered his infantry to deploy while the Quad-cannons worked on clearing the skies.

Squads of faithful soldiers rushed into the buildings to use them as vantage points. Often he could hear the screaming of civilians as they were forced from their homes, many times those screams were silenced by gunshots. He watched several men armed with RPGs or Javelin missile launchers move to aid the tanks or help shoot down the Orcas. His forces were fully engaged, save for the Technical he rode in, the driver swerved behind a grocery store just as a trio of Patriot rockets tore up the street behind them. Kell pulled out his sniper and fired a few shots out the passenger side window. The sound of the .50 caliber sniper rifle going off caused Hassan's ears to ring, he clasped them and grunted in pain as another round was fired.

Hassan pulled out his radio and desperately tried to take control of the chaos. He wished he was back in a control room where he would have better command and control over the battlefield, and be safe himself.

He directed the tanks to focus on destroying the defensive batteries and create a hole in the wall, while focusing his infantry on providing anti-armour support. As he issued his commands he could see rockets streak from second and third story windows and reduce enemy Crusader tanks to twisted scrap. Kell's sniper rifle barked again, and somewhere out in the battle some poor soul had his heart replaced with a gaping hole. Hassan tried to ignore the ringing in his ears and gave out more orders, but more often than not he received frantic calls for help from his men.

The Technical moved again to avoid one of the Quad-cannons that was busy filling the skies with tracer rounds. As Hassan was busy giving out orders, he looked to see how the battle was faring. Poorly was the answer as the front entrance was littered with the burning hulks of Scorpions, Bradleys, and a couple Crusader tanks. His soldier were still holding out in the buildings but most of them were now riddled with massive holes from the Patriot missiles. The air battle currently was going in their favor however, as the Orcas couldn't risk staying in one spot long enough for a missile lock.

"We need to get inside the base now! Order the tanks to make an entrance." Kell yelled over his shoulder.

"If I do that then they will be torn apart!" Hassan yelled back. Kell turned to face him with a look of pure rage.

"Their lives mean nothing. Give. The. Order."

Hassan wanted to protest, to argue that the lives of these men were not to be simply wasted away, but the explosion of a nearby Rocket Buggy forced him to realize that time was staunchly against them. With a heavy heart and great reluctance, he issued the order.

"All armoured units…punch a hole through the wall. No matter the cost. Ascension awaits the faithful in death!"

"Peace through power!"

Like an angry giant the remaining tanks and artillery fired on the base wall. Tanks shells and missiles exploded with frightening force and sent up a thick dust plume. Hassan could barely make out a large hole that had been blasted through the concrete, and the hazy shapes of hangars just beyond. However while they were busy focusing their fire, the GDI Crusader tanks and Patriot batteries fired a final, lethal volley. Hassan watched in mute horror as the tanks were obliterated, and in a single motion the GDI forces turned their attention to the occupied buildings. Orcas fired off rockets and sent even more dust and debris up into the sky, obstructing the view of the Quad-cannons, and in turn obstructing their own vision.

"Now is our chance. Go! Drive!" Kell shouted unnecessarily loudly.

The driver slammed down on the gas pedal and Hassan was pushed back into his seat as they shot forward through the dust and across the open field between the base and the town. They drove past the devastated remains of his forces and barreled towards the opening, tank shells and missiles exploded behind them as the GDI defenders turned their focus onto them.

The Technical nearly tipped over when a shell exploded nearby, but they stayed steady as they drove over the rubble and into the airbase. As the smoke cleared Hassan could see the entirety of the base. Several hangars opened out onto short runways and were lined with helipads on all sides. Barracks, warfactories, and power plants sat on the farther side close to a large command centre. However they ignored all of that as they drove towards the primary runway where the large cargo plane sat waiting.

"There is our target. Go! Drive faster!" Kell shouted out.

The soldier who had been sitting silently beside Hassan opened the back window, letting a blast cold air into the cabin. He squeezed himself through and moved to man the large machine gun and began firing long, sporadic bursts. Small arms fire began pinging off the side of the truck as GDI soldiers reacted to their presence, several of the enemy forces seemed confused for a moment as they ran past, moving to secure the breach. Hassan even spotted squad leaders frantically shouting conflicting orders, some to stop the Nod Technical racing through the base while others were focused on the battle outside. On top of the machine gun, Kell continued firing his sniper rifle, showing incredible skill being able to handle the large rifle while riding inside a speeding vehicle. Hassan meanwhile tried to keep his head down and prayed that they would survive this ordeal.

The Technical raced over runways and paved roads built between the various buildings that comprised the base. In several cases nearly running over squads of soldiers that still desperately tried to stop them. They were roughly halfway to the primary runway when Hassan's radio signaled an incoming call.

_"Commander! Apostle, Chaplain, and Deacon squads have breached the enemy base! Requesting orders!"_ A desperate soldier shouted.

Hassan was shocked to hear that not only had some of his men survived, but had made it inside the base as well.

"Move to the main objective, reinforce us there." Hassan ordered over the roar of the machine gun and bark of Kell's sniper rifle.

_"Affirmative! For the Brotherhood!" _

The radio fell silent just as the truck swerved violently to avoid a nearby explosion from a tank shell. The driver managed to regain control only to crash into a Raptor sitting just outside a maintenance hangar. Hassan crashed into the seat in front of him and his vision went black for a moment. When he came to, Kell was already out of the vehicle, having swapped his sniper for a G36C automatic rifle. Hassan turned his head to see the driver was dead, a piece of metal from the plane jutting from his forehead, the gunner fared no better, having been launched forward and now lay in a crumpled heap.

Hassan groggily got out of the vehicle and raised his SCAR, then ducked down beside Kell. The two fired off random bursts at GDI soldiers and airmen who were now trying to encircle them. More gunfire could be heard farther off, indicating the three squads fighting their way towards them. Hassan fired another burst which managed to kill a pilot brandishing an MP5, possibly the pilot of the very Raptor they had crashed into. He then tried to look around to find the cargo plane and the truck carrying the bomb components. He spotted it only a few hundred feet away, it was a fairly far run, but much closer then before.

"We need to move before we get bogged down." Kell hissed as he reloaded his weapon.

"How do you plan to take a plane with just the two of us?" Hassan yelled back, firing his own weapon until it clicked dry.

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm the Commander, I'm in charge of this operation. Of course I should be worried about it!"

The two men didn't speak for a moment as they focused on taking down a squad of grenadiers attempting to move on their position. When the four of them were disposed of, Hassan and Kell quickly moved away from the crashed Technical to a refuelling truck. They fired off a few more bursts from their new cover before Kell replied.

"Fine. The General managed to insert sleeper agents inside the base. They have already secured the truck and are waiting for us."

Hassan stared at Jarmen Kell for a moment, dumbfounded. There was even more to this plan that General Juhziz had kept hidden from him? Not for the first time since serving him, Hassan was facing serious doubts about the General. He was forced out of his thoughts as bullets impacted near his feet. He quickly glanced up to see another squad of GDI troops attempting to flank them. Hassan and Kell fired in unison, killing most of the squad, but were forced to find a new source of cover. Unfortunately the runway was devoid of anything they could use, save for short concrete divider blocks. But with no other options the two men ran across the tarmac as GDI soldiers chased them, firing as they went.

Hassan dove behind the block and huddled as tightly as he could to avoid being shot. Kell however was more daring as he exposed most of his upper body to return fire. A few enemy soldiers had been stupid enough to find themselves exposed on the tarmac, a few managed to make it back to the fueling truck, but most didn't. He fumbled for his radio as more bullets impacted around them, nearly dropping it as adrenaline and fear coursed through his body. Again wishing he was safe inside a control room.

"Apostle Actual, where are you? We need _support now!" Hassan shouted frantically._

_"We're working our way towards you but we are encountering heavy resistance."_ The soldier replied over the sound of battle.

"Kell, can't your sleeper agents help us out?" He asked as he turned to face the assassin.

"Not without revealing themselves."

Further conversation was cut off as a grenade exploded only a few meters away, followed by more bullets ripping up the runway. Hassan tried to fire back but was quickly forced back into cover, Kell likewise could no longer trade rounds with the enemy and instead had switched back to his sniper, attempting to make more accurate shots. He slowly peaked around the edge of the concrete block and spotted a Humvee roll onto the tarmac. More infantry hopped out as the gunner spooled up the chain gun, Hassan's heart fell, knowing that the heavy weapon would tear their pitiful cover to shreds, them along with it.

Just as the gunner was ready to fire, the Humvee exploded with a loud bang. Fire quickly engulfed the vehicle, and Hassan managed to watch as several GDI soldiers were cut down before they could react to what had just happened. Suddenly the fire slackened as the enemy turned their attention to the new threat, three squads of Nod infantry assaulting them from the rear. He nearly shouted out with joy but stopped when a Orca came into view. It fired a single missile into the clustered soldiers, instantly vaporizing most of the unit. The others scattered but most were cut down by the chin mounted autocannon, those that survived were now being hunted down by the enemy troops. It was horrifying to watch, but for a brief moment, Hassan and Jarmen Kell had been forgotten.

"Come on, now is our chance. Hurry!"

Hassan just nodded weakly as he continued watching his men be slaughtered. The two bolted across the runway towards the large cargo plane which sat unfazed by all the violence. Hassan had never ran as hard before in his life, sweat pouring down on his face, his legs burning as the cold mountain air still rushed around him. The sound of gunfire began to fade into the background, which he considered to be a good sign, as they shifted their course slightly to aim at a large flatbed truck with its contents hidden beneath a blue tarp. As they got closer to the truck he could see four GDI Rangers guarding the vehicle.

The Rangers immediately spotted them running across the open runway and brought up their weapons. The Rangers carried Polish FB Beryl assault rifles, rather then the standard M8, and quickly opened fire. Their first salvo fell just short of hitting them, but not wanting to give the enemy a chance to correct themselves, Hassan fired back. His fire was far more wild and mostly hit the truck rather then the enemy soldiers. Kell was still toting his sniper rifle and fired a single shot, blowing one Ranger's right arm clean off. The other three fell back and took cover behind the truck.

More bullets came flying towards them from underneath the vehicle, Hassan dove to the side to avoid being hit, while Kell went prone to get a better shot. It would prove to be unnecessary as the driver's cabin lit up with muzzle flashes, moments later the gunfire coming from the Rangers stopped, and the runway fell silent.

Kell picked himself up and jogged over to the truck. Hassan glanced behind him to see more GDI forces racing towards them. He quickly raced to join up with Kell and a man in GDI airman clothing stepping out from the truck. As Hassan approached he picked up the tail end of a very tense conversation.

"…time to get everything on board!" The Nod agent yelled, the name badge on his uniform read _Korvich._

"In case you haven't noticed, we don't have time. Just get it loaded." Kell hissed back.

He then turned to face Hassan just as Korvich hopped back into the truck.

"Get aboard the plane, get it started."

Hassan just nodded and ran up the ramp and through the empty cargo hold. He made it into the cockpit and quickly began the process of bringing the aircraft to life. As he raced through the preflight check list he glanced through the cockpit window, only to see two Humvees and several squads of infantry making their way towards them. He decided to skip the check list and ran back into the cargo hold to warn Kell, only to stop and stare in shock as the flatbed truck drove up the ramp. He jumped back into the cockpit to avoid being hit as the truck slammed into the cargo bay. The entire plane shook violently from the impact, and the sound from the crash was deafening.

Hassan shakily got to his feet as the plane seemed to settle, he looked back out the window to see the GDI troops had stopped, seemingly startled by the plane's violent rocking as well. He turned and slowly walked back into the cargo bay, only to get shoved back by Kell.

"Get this plane moving now!"

"But the ramp…" Hassan started to protest but was shoved again and pushed into the pilot's chair.

"Move it!"

Hassan pushed down on the throttle and caused the C-130 to move forward down the runway. The GDI forces were broken from their stupor and began firing on the plane. The bullets impacting off the outside of the plane, plus the scrapping of the ramp off the paved runway created a hellish noise, and Hassan couldn't help but shout out a string of frantic prayers. Kell took a seat in the co-pilot's seat and strapped himself in as the plane started gaining speed. The enemy soldiers formed a blockade outside and continued to pelt the aircraft with hundreds of bullets, but when it was clear that it wouldn't stop they tried to dive out of the way. There was another loud crash as the plane ran over the two Humvees, and anyone unfortunate enough not to get out of the way in time.

Hassan then began pulling the plane into the air, forgetting that the ramp was still lowered. Frantic shouting came from the cargo bay, as did the sound of metal grinding on metal, before Hassan quickly flipped the switch that raised the ramp back up. Just as the bay was finally secured, the plane lifted off from the runway and into the sky. Hassan then banked the plane and flew over the base back towards the mountain. Down below GDI forces were in a total frenzy, confused and angry at how Nod had just stolen a plane loaded with a nuclear bomb. The small town just outside the base likewise was in chaos, several buildings had been demolished and GDI troops were busy clearing out any Nod soldiers who had survived the initial attack.

Hassan heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back slightly in the seat. Kell also seemed to visibly relax as he closed his eyes. Hassan focused on flying the plane over the Turkish mountains, he looked down in hopes of seeing the outpost, he quickly came to regret that decision. A flight of GDI Raptors flew underneath the C-130 by a few hundred feet, and unleashed a torrent of missiles. The outpost disappeared in a haze of fire and smoke, and if anyone survived the initial attack, then no one would have survived the avalanche that quickly followed. The Raptors peeled off and returned back to the base, seemingly unaware of the stolen plane. Hassan's heart fell as he watched the devastation unfold below him, quickly fading away as he climbed higher and higher.

"That was a job well done. You aren't half as incompetent as I thought you were." Jarmen Kell remarked casually.

Anger flashed through Hassan as he turned to the assassin.

"Good and faithful men died today. We almost died today. How can you be so unfeeling? Have you no soul?"

Kell opened one eye and regarded the Nod commander.

"The mission was accomplished. That's all that matters."

Kell closed his eye and that seemed to be the end of the conversation. Hassan remained silent as they made their way towards Kazakhstan. At some point the soldier named Korvich came in to report that the bomb was secured, but he paid him no mind. Instead he was lost in thought, so many brave soldiers had given their lives for a cause they hardly knew anything about, dying for leaders who didn't seem to care. Victory and vengeance were all that drove the Brotherhood now, it was no longer about freedom and faith. The Brotherhood of Nod would not survive for long, not unless he did something to save it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Caspian Sea, off the coast of Kazakhstan**

**Onboard the GDS ****_Tsar's Redemption_**

**September 11****th****, 2011**

**0900**

A cold and biting wind swept over the large battleship, bringing with it the first signs of the coming autumn. Mark Lancaster shivered slightly as he stood on the deck just outside the bridge of the ship. It was a Russian made warship in service to GDI, and tasked with patrolling the Caspian Sea. A job that would be unnecessary in the very near future, as the sea was slowly drying up, both due to an old Soviet era irrigation project, and from the environmental effects of Tiberium. But it would seem that the _Tsar's Redemption _would get one final hurrah before the sea dried up, as they were currently preparing for an invasion. He took one final look out across the water to see the _Tsar's _sister ships, the _Kiev's Pride, _and the _Rasputin._

Mark finally turned and walked back into the bridge, escaping from the cold sea air. The crew was silent as they manned their stations, all with stoic faces as in mere moments the assault would begin. All save for the Captain, who had a wide grin hidden under his thick beard. Captain Boris was a jolly old Russian, having served the former Soviet Union, and now the Initiative. He had thick arms and a thicker stomach poking through his GDI naval uniform along with a beard of steel grey, dark brown eyes, and with what little grey hair he had left hidden under a cap. He turned his gaze to Mark as he walked in and his smile grew even larger.

"Enjoy your fresh air Commander? Nothing like the smell of open water eh? Oh to be a young sailor again!" Captain Boris gave a hearty chuckle which seemed to warm the mood of the other crew, including Mark himself.

"A little cold for my tastes." Mark replied as he stepped over to the Captain.

The big man put a meaty hand on Mark's shoulder and stared out at the dark blue waters, the shoreline barely visible on the horizon.

"I'll make a Navy man out of you yet Lancaster." The Captain chuckled again, but Mark stayed silent. He found himself deep in thought again as the shore loomed larger and larger.

Kazakhstan had fallen into chaos with countless riots and Nod fueled unrest. The United Nations had attempted to keep the peace, but failed, and now that most of their powers had been shifted to GDI, one of the new Board of Directors' first directives was to restore peace and order no matter what. Up to and including, a full scale amphibious invasion. With their primary target being a large training ground for Brotherhood forces. Fresh memories flooded him of his first command, back during the war. A young and inexperienced commander leading an assault on Nod controlled Estonia. He smiled to himself at the mental image, and the realization that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"Captain, Commander, we are now in optimal firing range. Sat feed confirms considerable enemy shore fortifications." One of the bridge technicians reported.

"Excellent! Let's see how the Brotherhood fares under our guns! You best get your men ready Commander, while there is still a beach to land on!" Boris was acting like a little boy ready to play with some new toy. That toy of course being three massive ship grade cannons.

Mark was the one to laugh this time as the Captain's eagerness was infectious. He activated his tacpad and spoke loud enough for the bridge crew to hear as well.

"Lieutenant Andreas? We are green light to launch. Repeat, green light to launch. Good hunting Lieutenant."

_"Copy that Commander. Launching in five minutes."_ Sergio replied.

Mark turned to the Captain and nodded his head. Boris' smile somehow grew even larger.

"Fire all guns! Remind the Brotherhood who is in charge here!"

In response to the Captain's command, all nine barrels of the three cannons fired, rocking the ship and sending ripples across the water. The ship had drawn close enough that Mark could make out the plumes of sand and dust that the shells had kicked up, while the outlines of concrete bunkers and turrets set into the cliffs overlooking the beach could be just barely made out. The guns fired again, and once more large plumes were sent up.

The bombardment continued for a few minutes before a message flashed across Mark's tacpad. The hovercraft had launched from their berths below the ship, as the _Tsar _was serving the triple function of command vessel, artillery support, and carrier. Just as the guns fired again, Mark could see the ten Hovercrafts speeding across the water towards the shore. Eight of the craft were smaller infantry carriers while the other two were the larger armour carrier variants. This was just the first wave that would make landfall; there were another two waves ready and rearing to go, as well as a special surprise that Mark had brought along with him.

"Adjust elevation by 3.7°. Space out firing by 40 seconds instead of 30. I believe the Commander would prefer we don't hit his men." Boris commanded. He received an acknowledgment from the officer in charge of the guns, and Mark watched the heavy cannons raise slightly higher before firing again.

Mark brought up a satellite feed onto a console in front of him: now he could watch the progress of the Hovercraft as they neared the beach. Shells continued to rain down on the Nod fortifications, and he witnessed several bunkers and turrets be transformed into smoking ruins.

_"ETA until landfall about two mikes."_ Sergio reported over the radio.

"Adjust aim 17° to the right, decrease elevation by 1.2°. Give me three more salvos then cease fire." Boris ordered.

"Aye Captain! Three salvos then cease fire." The weapons officer repeated.

Mark counted down the seconds between each volley, knowing that after the final one his men would be given a baptism of fire.

"Those bastards are dug in deep. They're stubborn, I'll give them that. Not common for someone to survive such a beating." Boris commented with a huff.

"Don't worry Captain. Our new friends over at Otani-Lincoln have given us some new toys to test out."

Boris just harrumphed and said.

"We didn't need fancy toys and gadgets back in my day. All you needed was a rifle and a belly full of vodka and someone to point you in the right direction!"

The Captain gave a boisterous laugh and Mark was quick to join in. It lasted until Sergio reported in. They had made landfall. The battle had just begun in earnest.

… … …

Robert McCoy stood inside the Hovercraft shoulder to shoulder with other GDI infantrymen. The craft swayed and jumped every time it crashed through the waves. The craft was silent save for the breathing of dozens of soldiers waiting to rush straight into enemy fire. The sight brought back memories of his first real combat mission, also an amphibious assault on an enemy controlled beach. He was nineteen at the time, nothing more than a scared kid, barely able to keep himself from vomiting. That day had changed his life forever, and now, almost fifteen years later, he was completely calm, going so far as to even have his eyes closed as he waited for the moment the ramp would lower.

Private West, on the other hand, was not doing so well. The man actually looked green in the face and seemed to be fighting with himself every time the vessel hit a wave. He unfortunately lost that fight and as Tony vomited that morning's breakfast all over the deck, two nearby soldiers jumped backwards and knocked into the men behind them at the sudden discharge. Tony's face went from green to red as he looked incredibly embarrassed and McCoy felt a surge of pity for the young man. The two men who had been closest to West suddenly began shouting in his face, drawing everyone's attention.

"Yo what the fuck is your problem man?" A dark skinned soldier asked.

"You got puke on my boots faggot!"

The second man, a rough looking man with light skin, looked as though he was ready to punch Tony, and judging by how terrified Tony looked, he thought the same thing. McCoy pushed his way through the throng of soldiers standing idly by as the altercation went down.

"You two stow that shit now or you both can swim." McCoy stated sternly.

The two men looked up and instantly paled when they noticed his sergeant's rank insignia. They both looked sheepishly around before backing off. Tony gave him a nod in way of thanks and McCoy simply moved back to his original spot.

"T-minus 60 seconds." Major Wilson shouted from the front.

The cramped compartment was abruptly filled with the sounds of people checking over weapons and equipment, or offering prayers to which ever deity they worshipped. Unlike the rest of the men, McCoy instead was busy writing a disciplinary report in his mind for the two soldiers who had threatened one of his men: he did not take kindly to that sort of thing.

The sixty seconds went by in the blink of an eye, the Hovercraft surged onto the sandy beach and lowered its ramp. Sunlight and a chilly air rushed into the compartment, as did the sound of heavy machine gun fire. The Major shouted for them all to move but it proved unnecessary as they all rushed out before he even finished. McCoy immediately scanned the beach and spotted a large blackened crater a few feet away from them. He also noted that most of the bunkers were still intact, and dozens of Nod troops were waiting for them behind sandbag barricades. McCoy fired off a quick burst from his rifle as he made his way towards the crater, stopping only long enough to wave for the others to follow.

"Join on me! Take cover in that crater!"

McCoy quickly jumped down into the blackened hole, semi cautious of the jagged bits of shrapnel still littering about. Moments later the other four members of his squad joined him, as did the two men from earlier. He paid them no attention as he peeked over the edge and fired off two more bursts before ducking back down. The others likewise traded rounds with the Nod soldiers, as the heavy guns in the bunkers continued to fire down at them. McCoy stood back up for a moment, but not to fire his weapon. He quickly scanned the beach until he spotted the Major hunkered down in another crater further up the beach.

The GDI forces were slowly moving their way up, but the Nod forces weren't making it easy. One of the Hovercraft exploded when a Javelin rocket slammed into the open compartment. Thankfully it had managed to deploy its compliment of troops before its untimely death, however the same couldn't be said for the pilots. McCoy was about to lay out a plan to make their way to the Major's hole when one of the soldiers from the Hovercraft, the rough looking one, collapsed backwards, blood spilling from a bullet hole in his throat. Reed dropped down and tried to stabilize him by holding his hands over the wound, but it was a wasted effort as the man's eyes glazed over. Reed lifted his hands away; they were now covered with blood and he tried to wipe them off with sand.

McCoy and the others stood up in unison and fired a long stream of bullets, firing until they all emptied their mags. They managed to take out a squad guarding a pathway that led up the cliffs to the top, thus allowing friendly forces to move forward. As he was reloading, McCoy glanced back towards the water in time to see the last of the Hovercraft land and unload their occupants. More soldiers ran out to join their comrades hiding in the shell craters. But it was what came off the larger heavy Hovercrafts that caught his eye. Two M270 MLRS rolled off the carriers and trudged up the beach, bullets bouncing harmlessly off their armour. Both launchers deployed themselves and moments later were obscured by thick clouds of smoke from the rocket exhaust. Dozens of rockets flew into the air before crashing down into the concrete bunkers. Explosions sent large chucks of flaming debris raining down onto the Nod defenders. The M270s shifted their aim to another bunker and let loose another salvo. King gave a hearty cheer at the destruction as the squad continued to trade fire with the dwindling Nod forces.

McCoy tore his gaze away from the destructive exchange and took aim through his weapon's sights. He was about to target a Nod soldier manning a heavy machine gun when he disappeared mere seconds later. High calibre rounds turned the soldier into shredded meat and blew apart the sandbag barricade. McCoy turned to see where the rounds had come from, only for his jaw to drop open.

Emerging from the heavy carriers were bipedal machines, roughly ten feet in height. They had an almost egg like shape with thick gold plated armour, and a cockpit style canopy for the sole operator. A large chain gun was attached to the right arm, while the left arm had a thick, vaguely human like hand. The Powersuits slowly lumbered onto the beach, firing their massive weapons and completely obliterating any foe in their path. McCoy kept watching in disbelief: he had seen some crazy things during the war, but this took the cake.

"Now that is what I call firepower! Suck it Noddies!" Reed shouted.

"Ain't no kill like overkill!" King quickly added.

West and Rodriguez simply stood and watched with amazement while the other man in the crater with them gave a loud whistle of approval. McCoy quickly snapped out his daze when bullets impacted around their cover. He brought up his rifle and fired random bursts in the direction of the enemy. His bullets fell short of hitting anything, but it didn't matter as the Powersuits moved further up the beach, ripping apart anyone they came across. GDI soldiers began emerging from the shell craters, charging forward as the Nod forces beat a hasty retreat.

All the remaining bunkers were destroyed by the twin M270s, and the new Powersuits quickly secured the beach. The first step of the invasion was a success, although they didn't walk away totally unscathed. McCoy looked around the ruined beach and noted a fairly large number of dead GDI soldiers strewn amongst the sand, as well as the destroyed Hovercraft which was still burning. As he continued surveying the beach he eventually spotted Major Wilson walking towards him, alongside one of the egg shaped Powersuits. McCoy's squad climbed out from the crater and stood beside him, all eager to get up close with the new tools of carnage.

"Sergeant, how are your men holding up?" The Major asked in way of greeting.

"We're green and mean sir. I have one KIA from another unit." McCoy turned as he said that and looked down to the bottom of the crater. The dark skinned private from the Hovercraft was hunched over his friend, carefully removing his dog-tags.

"Damn shame. But we don't have time to mourn. New orders from Command, we need to secure an area to set up a FOB. Intel shows that there is a large Nod base on top of the cliffs, just outside the city. We will need to secure it before we can take out those training camps."

"You make it sound easy sir." McCoy replied, a hint of unease in his voice.

"It should be with these new X-0 power suits." The Major said, indicating the Powersuit standing beside him.

The large canopy opened to reveal a single occupant inside, a woman. She smiled down at them, noting the attention she and her machine were getting from McCoy's men.

"No need to worry Sergeant. We can make short work of those Noddies." She said enthusiastically.

She then held out her hand for a handshake, but inadvertently caused the X-0 suit's hand to also extend out, nearly crushing McCoy's skull.

"Oops! Sorry Sergeant, still working out some kinks. My name is Corporal Myers." She retracted both her and the Powersuit's hand. McCoy took a quick step back.

"No harm done Corporal."

"Come along people, we have a job to do." Major Wilson chided.

"Sir yes sir!" Myers replied quickly, and closed her canopy. She then stomped across the beach to where the other six X-0s were waiting.

McCoy and his men followed behind the Major as the GDI forces advanced to the left side of the beach. Stopping by the two M270s where the remaining GDI soldiers had gathered, Major Wilson walked to the head of the unit and began addressing all of them over the radio.

_"Goliath Squad will take point. Our objective is a Nod base located just at the top of these cliffs. We need to take it out so the Commander can send reinforcements. Prometheus 1-1 and 1-2 will provide artillery support. Let's move it out!"_

The seven X-0s spooled up their chain guns and moved up the path with stunning speed. The infantry were quick to follow as the M270s redeployed at the base of the cliffs. They encountered no resistance as they made their way up, and McCoy was careful not to glance at the blackened bunkers.

They immediately came under fire the minute they reached the top of the cliff. Bullets bounced harmlessly off the Powersuits as they let loose a lethal stream of metal. McCoy quickly took cover behind a rocky outcropping, joined moments later by his squad. He peaked around to get a look at the layout of the enemy base, but ducked back as bullets impacted around him. The base was far smaller than the main complex that was their primary objective. However that didn't mean it wasn't well defended. Stinger sites and tunnel networks surrounded a series of barracks and warfactories, and all of it surrounded a large stockpile of vehicles. Scorpions, Rocket buggies, and even Chinese Type 99 tanks.

McCoy tried to peak around the rock again and this time managed to fire a prolonged burst before retreating into cover. The other four were likewise having difficulty firing at the enemy due to the sheer volume of bullets being thrown their way. Even the Powersuits were getting slowed down now that the Nod troops had brought anti-tank weapons into the mix.

_"We need to take down those Stinger sites! Focus on any close to you!"_ The Major shouted over the radio.

McCoy quickly looked around and spotted one such site nearby, trying to keep the X-0s pinned down. He pointed it out to the squad and hunkered down to lay out a plan.

"I counted five tangos operating the site. At least one armed with heavy ordnance. We need to take it out, West you move up and use your grenade launcher. The rest of us will provide cover. Got it?"

"Yes Sergeant." West replied shakily.

"You got this kid." Reed surprisingly reassured.

McCoy took Reed, King, and Rodriguez back down to the cliff edge where they then made their way around the Stinger site. Down below, he could see the M270s waiting patiently with their weapon systems raised. He also noted a disturbing blanket of dead bodies all along the beach.

He focused back on the mission and took his men into a small patch of foliage. It gave them a clear line of sight on the enemy hard point. He raised his hand and began to count down from five. When he hit one, he closed his fist and then stood up.

In unison they fired on the Stinger site, bullets ripping into sandbags or punching through camouflage netting. The five men inside quickly turned and fired back at them. The foliage would offer no real protection, so McCoy ordered his men to fall back. The Nod soldiers continued to fire into the bushes. McCoy anxiously waited to hear an explosion go off, seconds ticked by and he began to wonder what the hell West was doing. His question was answered by a grenade flying through the netting and exploding right in the middle of the Stinger site. A split second later, more explosions went off as the ammunition for the AA and AT launchers cooked off. The entire structure was set ablaze, and nothing was left of the men inside. West jogged over to them a minute later, a look of pride on his face.

"Good aim Private." McCoy said approvingly.

"Nice one dude! You cooked those assholes." Reed said gleefully.

Conversation was cut short as one of the X-0s trundled over to them, its armour dented and scorched. It stood before the squad and its pilot spoke to them through external speakers, giving the female voice a slight mechanical tinge.

"Sergeant, I need your men to come with me. Target is another Stinger site at the far end of the base." Myers voice boomed out.

"Lead the way Corporal." McCoy replied.

Myers' Powersuit moved deeper into the enemy base, Nod forces forming their defence around the vehicle stockpile as GDI pushed their advance. Several of the Type 99s slowly came to life, with Nod soldiers scrambling up the sides to man the turret mounted machine guns. One of the tanks fired at the GDI forces, hitting an X-0 dead center. The Powersuit violently exploded, leaving only two stubby legs standing.

The base was now lined by burning Stinger sites and collapsed tunnel networks, but the Nod forces had reacted faster than GDI was prepared for. Two squads of infantry moved to intercept McCoy and his unit, and he quickly snapped up his rifle and held down on the trigger. He managed to kill two and wound one more soldier before Myers brought her weapon to bear. The sound of her heavy gun firing nearly caused McCoy's ears to bleed from how loud it was. The Nod soldiers were torn apart like wet paper, one man literally being dissected in two. He tried to ignore the gruesome scene and keep pushing towards their objective, noting as they went that more enemy vehicles were joining the fray.

_"Prometheus 1 and 2, I need immediate support! Fire at marked position now!"_ The Major's frantic voice cut over the staccato of gunfire.

"_Copy, beacons are active and position marked. Firing for effect."_

Three Scorpion tanks and two Type 99s had started pushing the main GDI force back towards the beach. Of the seven X-0 Powersuits, only three remained including Myers'. McCoy watched the tanks roll forward as more tank crews raced to get the other vehicles running; an eye blink later, the entire base was obscured by a wall of smoke and fire. McCoy and his men ducked behind Myers machine as the wall passed by them. Seconds later it cleared, and the Nod armour was now nothing more than scrap metal scattered across the field.

_"All targets neutralized. Thanks for the assist."_ Wilson said over the radio, tension having drained away.

That didn't mean the fighting had ended. Nod troops were still putting up a fierce resistance, and McCoy still had a Stinger site to take down. Myers moved ahead of them, quickly mowing down a squad that came rushing from a nearby barracks. At this point McCoy and his squad were serving as little more than back up to the Powersuit.

Their target was in sight and McCoy was preparing to lay out their plan of attack, when Myers' Powersuit began taking hits from her right flank. A Nod Technical came racing around the ruins of a tunnel network, its heavy calibre weapon turning a bright red as it fired nonstop. Myers tried to turn around to face the vehicle, but was knocked to the ground when the Technical rammed right into her. McCoy was running towards her, weapon shouldered, but he could tell he was already too late. The Nod gunner quickly recovered from the crash and fired point blank into the X-0's cockpit, shattering the glass and splattering blood everywhere. Anger flashed through him as he unloaded into the gunner, blowing holes through his chest and causing him to fall off the vehicle. McCoy then fired the remainder of his magazine into the cabin for good measure. Rodriguez rushed over to the Powersuit, but stopped when he got close enough to see inside. A simple shake of the head told McCoy all he needed to know.

They pushed onwards, the Stinger site directly ahead of them. Six soldiers huddled inside, two armed with Javelin missile launchers, one manning a large machine gun, and the others armed with rifles. Had they still had Myers' Powersuit, it would have been an easy job of turning the Nod troops into minced meat, but without her it would be a hard fight.

They took cover behind a large pile of dirt and sand, the refuse from the underground tunnels. The squad quickly checked over their ammo, and when they reported that they were all good to go, McCoy laid out the plan.

"Rodriguez, you and me will distract that gunner. Everyone else, fire grenades, aim for the center. Got it?" He received four nods.

"Good. On my go."

King, Reed, and West loaded their underslung grenade launchers, then moved to a position that would give them a clear shot. McCoy led Rodriguez around the mound of earth and readied himself, taking deep breaths to calm his shaking hands. Rodriguez gave him a pat on the back, indicating he was ready, and with one final calming breath, he stood up to fire. Time seemed to slow as he fired short, clipped bursts at the enemy soldiers. Two Nod riflemen spotted them and quickly brought up their own weapons, however one was struck in the lower abdomen by Rodriguez as he opened fire as well. By the time it took the gunner to take notice and swivel towards them, McCoy and Rodriguez had killed two riflemen and wounded one of the Javelin troopers. McCoy went to push Rodriguez out of the way just as the gunner let loose with a stream of bullets, with most impacting the mound of earth in front of them, but one managed to graze McCoy's left leg.

Both men fell to the ground and quickly scrambled into cover as the ground around them was ripped apart. The heavy gun continued to fire for what felt like hours, but in reality was only a couple seconds, before three grenades impacted the center of the Stinger site. The explosion sent a vibration through the ground, and sent thick smoke into the air, adding to the other burning sites that now acted as funeral pyres. The sound of gunfire and explosions began to grow more quiet, until eventually stopping all together. West and the others rushed over to McCoy as he brushed himself off, the bullet wound having only cut the skin.

"Sarge you okay?" West asked.

"I'm fine. Good work team." McCoy said as he got to his feet.

Without wanting to hear any more questions about his wellbeing he walked off towards the center of the ruined base, ignoring the pain in his leg. The battle had cost GDI heavily: only one X-0 had survived and dead bodies were strewn about. But they had won, and at the end of the day that's all GDI cared about. They were just cogs in the machine after all.

McCoy spotted Major Wilson arguing with a field medic as he bandaged the Major's arm into a cast. McCoy made his way towards them but stopped when he heard the sound of vehicle engines, and turned to see both M270s struggle up the steep path and onto the field. The other GDI soldiers were busy picking through the ruined base or patrolling the perimeter; there were more Nod forces lurking in the cliffs and they couldn't afford to be caught unawares. McCoy finally walked up to the Major just as the medic finished his work.

"And how am I supposed to fight with this thing on? Do you want to get court-martialled?" Major Wilson seemed incredibly aggravated as he tried removing the cast. The Medic sighed and shook his head in annoyance.

"Your arm is broken sir. I'm just doing my job. Now if you'll excuse me there are other wounded I need to attend to. Sir." The Medic walked away without even acknowledging McCoy. Major Wilson tried to fiddle with his radio with one hand, letting out a string of profanities the entire time.

"Everything alright sir?" McCoy asked. The Major looked up at him, seemingly surprised that he was there.

"No, everything is not alright. My arm has a bullet in it and now it's fucking useless. And I need to radio command." The Major let out a long breath and tried to calm himself. McCoy held out his hand and indicated the radio.

"May I sir?" Major Wilson tossed him the radio and McCoy caught it mid-air. He quickly set the right channel, then handed the radio back.

"Lieutenant come in? This is Major Wilson. Objective secured, area is clear, repeat, area is clear. You can bring your birds down."

The radio crackled with static for a moment, then someone with an Italian accent responded.

_"Copy you loud and clear Major. Setting down in sixty seconds."_ Lieutenant Sergio said.

Wilson gave an aggravated sigh and surveyed the destruction around him. The fires were beginning to die down, and for the moment it seemed that the GDI force was being left alone. But both men knew that wouldn't last for long. On top the second line of cliffs was the Nod training grounds, and potentially hundreds of enemy combatants.

After a moment, the sound of rotor blades could be heard rapidly approaching. McCoy looked up to see three V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft come into view from over the water. In moments the aircraft were hovering over the remains of the Nod base and descending to the ground. Major Wilson made his way towards the new arrivals and McCoy followed behind, with his squad falling in line behind him. Two of the Ospreys opened and unloaded two squads of infantry, as well as two more X-0 Powersuits. The third VTOL started unloading a crew of officers and technicians, as well as materials to set up a forward operating base. When the Ospreys had finished offloading their occupants, they lifted back into the air and returned towards the small fleet.

Lieutenant Sergio was busy directing the technicians to establish the FOB, and yelling at officers to organize a proper defence. As he issued out his orders, he then indicated, towards a Nod barracks, apparently deciding to use it to serve as a field command post. The area was quickly filled with a controlled chaos as the new arrivals went to relieve the soldiers from the initial invasion.

Major Wilson walked up to the Lieutenant, who was busy typing into his tacpad. McCoy was still following behind so he'd be nearby to receive new orders. The Lieutenant looked up from what he was doing and snapped off a quick salute to which Major Wilson quickly returned.

"Major, sir, are you alright?" Sergio asked as he took notice of the cast.

"The only thing hurt is my pride. I won't be able to lead from the front at the moment. You'll have to handle the field work."

Sergio looked stunned for a moment, looking down at the Major's cast again, then back to his face. The shock passed quickly and was replaced with a stoic face.

"Understood sir, I'll get the job done. I suppose that means you will take my place here at the command post?"

"I'll handle coordinating things from here, yes." Major Wilson looked resentful at having been relegated to a rear line position.

"In that case sir I should inform you that the Commander has sent some additional support for the operation." Sergio gave both men a knowing smile.

McCoy raised an eyebrow quizzically as the Lieutenant led both men back towards the cliff. The three of them stood at the top of the pathway leading down to the beach, where McCoy could see two heavy Hovercraft landing. They each deployed a Crusader tank before quickly moving back out to sea. The tanks then started making their way up towards the FOB, struggling up the steep incline. However it was the Barge making its way towards the beach that caught McCoy's eye. The large ship stopped just before the shore, lowering the large ramp into the water. McCoy whistled as he watched a Mammoth tank roll off the Barge and into the water, easily driving through and up onto the beach. It followed behind the Crusaders, water cascading off its sides as it dug deep tracks in the sand.

"Commander is pulling out all the tricks for this OP." Major Wilson said with an approving smile.

"He also gave the go ahead for use of whiskey papa."

Wilson turned to face Sergio with a horrified look, before it faded into an expression of disappointment.

"I see. Then I guess times really are changing." Wilson said sorrowfully.

McCoy was suddenly lost as to what was going on and he tried to figure out in his head what the Lieutenant was referring to. He didn't have time to figure it out as the Major began walking away. Sergio fell in step beside him and McCoy followed behind them. They walked back to the command post where technicians were setting up computers and communications gear, while two soldiers were setting up a portable generator onto the roof to power the field post.

The base itself was more organized now as the fires had been put out, and soldiers were quickly digging trenches or setting up sandbag barricades. A group of engineers were busy loading the M270s with new ordnance, but McCoy didn't pay attention as he spotted his squad sitting on an overturned Attack Buggy. He left the Major and the Lieutenant to their business and made his way towards his men. They waved him over just as the Mammoth tank made its presence known with a roar from its massive engines.

"Holy shit we have a Mammoth tank?" Reed exclaimed excitedly.

"What's going on Sarge? We moving out yet? Or are we just gonna sit on our asses?" King asked.

"For now we will do what you guys do best: sit on our asses." McCoy replied.

King groaned while Reed hastily pulled out an MRE. Rodriguez and West were busy watching the massive tank as it took position with the two Crusaders at the front of the base. McCoy just sat and appreciated the massive war machine, enjoying the brief calm before he would once more be thrown into the fight.

… … …

The down time continued on for another half hour with the GDI forces busying themselves by setting up defences or clearing away rubble. The field post was fully operational, now serving as GDI's first foothold in the country.

News quickly filtered its way down to the rank and file. The U.N. embassy had been burnt to the ground and the regional government had publicly announced its loyalty to the Brotherhood. Things did not look good, but that was why they were here, to restore order.

The calm and quiet ended when Lieutenant Sergio's voice sounded over the radio. Men dropped what they were doing and quickly prepared themselves for the order to push onwards. McCoy was happy the waiting would be over. He didn't look forward to being thrown back into conflict, but it was better than waiting for Nod to attack them.

_"Attention all GDI forces. Command has just confirmed major enemy troop movement inside the main Nod base. Our current orders are to secure the coastal town before Nod forces can launch an attack on our beachhead. Alpha and Bravo Company are to take point, Goliath Squad will join you."_

The radio fell silent and McCoy got to his feet, he clicked the safety off his rifle them boomed out.

"Let's move it people!"

The GDI force moved past the ruined Nod base and made their way to the adjacent town, leaving behind the heavy armour. Two companies of infantry plus the three X-0s walked with weapons at the ready. McCoy didn't like the idea of meeting the Nod forces inside the cramped streets of the town as there were too many spots for an ambush. They passed the outskirts of the town and entered onto the main street, passing vacant buildings and abandoned cars. It was eerie how empty the place felt, and the heavy footfalls of the Powersuits reverberating down the streets didn't help things either. The town was small, barely above being called a village. McCoy quickly loaded a grenade into his underslung launcher in anticipation. Things were so silent that McCoy nearly jumped when his radio crackled.

_"Alpha and Bravo Companies, be advised enemy forces are nearing the other side of the town. Sat feed shows several armoured units and fifty plus foot mobiles. Pull back and regroup now."_ Sergio commanded.

McCoy turned to relay the order when a loud boom echoed through the streets, and in the same instant the canopy of an X-0 exploded. Glass and blood showered the street as the powersuit fell forward.

"Snipers! Get to cover!" McCoy yelled as loud as he could, but the warning came too late.

More sniper rounds and automatic weapons fire suddenly exploded from everywhere at once. Soldiers fell to the ground before they had time to register which way to run.

McCoy however didn't waste any time and ran for a nearby alleyway, closely followed by his squad. As the ducked into the narrow alley, a door suddenly swung open and three Nod soldiers emerged. Without thinking McCoy fired his grenade launcher, which arced over the Nod soldiers and exploded against the alley wall. Dust immediately clouded his vision and filled his lungs. He staggered backwards as he coughed violently.

As the dust settled he could see that the Nod soldiers had been buried under a ton of rubble, effectively blocking the alley. McCoy pushed his men back to the main street, where dozens of GDI soldiers lay dead. The two remaining X-0s were filling the adjacent buildings with lethal, searing hot lead. Entire walls crumbled under the intense barrage, but still bullets pinged off their armour or tore up the street around them.

McCoy tried to look for better cover, and noted that the other squads had taken refuge inside one of the buildings. Flashes from the windows indicated that they were fighting Nod tooth and nail for ownership. He quickly realized that to try and cross the street would be suicide, but staying where they were wasn't any better. The enemies focus was still on the X-0s, so McCoy finally settled on a decision.

"We need to move. We can rally with the others in that building across the street. When I say go, we all run for it. Got it?"

"Sarge are you nuts? We'll never make it." Reed protested.

"Would you rather stay here?"

No one argued the point further. McCoy looked back out to the street to find the X-0s had moved forward into the intersection, redecorating more houses with bullet holes. He didn't know how well the other squads were doing, but the building was still their best option. He looked back to his men, his friends, and took a deep breath.

"Go!"

They all ran across the street, running behind the X-0s, and moved straight for the open doorway. It felt like the road stretched on forever, the other side growing farther away rather than closer. It was in that odd sense of slow motion that McCoy was able to notice the two Scorpion tanks rolling down the street. McCoy nearly stopped at the sight but pushed himself to run faster. One of the X-0s disappeared in a cloud of fire and metal as the Scorpions opened fire. The second X-0 turned to the face the new threat, but even its high calibre rounds did little to puncture the armour. McCoy managed to reach the door just as the final Powersuit was destroyed.

McCoy quickly took position by the door and began firing randomly at the buildings, hoping to hit something. With the X-0s gone, all the focus would be on his men. First through the door was Reed, who all but fell into the room beyond. Just behind him was West and King who both made it at the same time. West likewise moved inside but King took up position and added his fire. The last to make it was Rodriguez, at least he should have been. He was almost on the sidewalk when a loud boom sounded over the roar of gunfire. In the blink of an eye Rodriguez went from running towards McCoy, to dead on the street with a bullet hole right through his skull.

McCoy just stared in horror as Corporal Pablo Rodriguez laid dead just a few feet away, blood and bits of bone pooling around him. He wanted to scream, to find the man responsible and rip him apart with his bare hands, but instead he was dragged inside the building by King and Reed. The four of them were huddled in the centre of the room, too shocked to do anything, when a voice shouted down the stairs.

"Sir we have contacts on the bottom floor!"

McCoy broke from his daze and quickly shouted back.

"Friendly! Blue! Blue!"

Two men came down the stairs with their rifles raised, but quickly lowered them when they spotted the haggard squad. One of the two men was a Japanese man that McCoy recognized as Staff Sergeant Hikowa. Hikowa quickly looked over McCoy and his squad before asking.

"What the hell is going on out there?"

"Scorpion tanks, just down the road. Took out both walkers. And there's still at least one sniper out there." McCoy's voice was filled with hatred as he filled Hikowa in.

"Fuck. Where the hell is our backup?"

As if to answer his question, the wall suddenly exploded inward, filling the room with smoke and debris. McCoy got to his feet and looked out of the newly made hole to see the two Scorpion tanks taking aim at them. Without hesitating he began shouting.

"Upstairs! Go!"

Everyone complied and booked it back up the flight of stairs to the second floor. Other GDI soldiers were still trading fire with Nod troops hiding in the other buildings. One of the tanks fired again, and the building shook from the impact. At this rate McCoy figured the building would collapse with them all inside.

"We need to get out of here." McCoy observed.

"There's nowhere to go but up." Hikowa replied grimly.

"Tangos moving up!" The sudden warning came from Reed, who was standing by one of the second floor windows.

McCoy rushed over just in time to see three squads of Nod soldiers running past the Scorpions and right towards the GDI force. They were going to try and storm them. The GDI soldiers kept firing despite the overwhelming odds; they would not give up so easily. McCoy was about ready to move his squad to defend the stairs, when one of the Scorpions exploded into a brilliant fireball. He didn't even have time to register what had just happened before the second tank exploded as well. Suddenly the Nod troops began to retreat, until several of them were cut down by a heavy machine gun. The radio burst to life and McCoy heard the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

_"Alpha and Bravo Companies, this is __König__. __Be advised we are rolling up the left hand street to assist. Not much room but we'll make do. Any special requests?"_

Hikowa quickly grabbed his radio and started calling out targets for the Mammoth tank, a wide grin stretched across his face.

"_König, _be advised we have Tangos in the buildings. Snipers are keeping us pinned. Targets are left side hardware store and right side apartments."

_"Copy that. Target left building. GDI construction crew coming through!"_

The Mammoth fired both barrels and blew up the entire second and third floor of the store. Fires quickly engulfed what was left, and any gunfire coming from that side instantly stopped. The massive tank then rotated its turret and fired again, reducing the next building to a pile of rubble. The fighting subsided and now the only sound was from the massive tank's engines.

_"Think that just about does it. König__moving forward. Have a nice day folks."_

The Mammoth rolled down the street, easily plowing through the debris and wrecked Scorpion tanks.

McCoy and the other GDI soldiers made their way back outside. More troops were coming up the same street as the Mammoth, followed by the Crusader tanks. McCoy noticed Lieutenant Sergio making his way towards them, but he ignored the man as he went to retrieve Rodriguez's dog tags. The other three members of the squad came to pay their respects, but the moment of mourning didn't last long, as Sergio called them over.

"Sergeant McCoy, I'm sorry to hear about your man." Sergio nodded his head in Rodriguez's direction. "CASEVAC units are on the way to retrieve the dead. However we need to keep moving."

The sound of cannon fire punctuated the Lieutenant's order. McCoy could make out the sound of the Mammoth's large guns and the smaller Crusaders. The sound of return fire from Nod Scorpions followed closely behind. The infantry began to jog towards the engagement, leaving behind the ruined buildings and fallen soldiers. The day was far from over, but all McCoy wanted to do was crawl into bed and hide.

When the infantry pushed past the outskirts of the town they arrived to see the aftermath of the tank battle. All three GDI tanks were unscathed save for a few dents and scorch marks. On the other side however was four burning Scorpion tanks and two twisted Rocket Buggies. The Mammoth took the lead and continued rolling towards the hills. McCoy followed along with the others but stopped when he heard vehicle engines behind him. The M270s emerged from the town and moved to catch up. McCoy nodded approvingly. It would be nice to have some artillery support. The entire force moved ahead without any further resistance for about fifteen minutes. Then they spotted a Tiberium refinery just ahead, defended by two Stinger sites. The GDI forces instantly grew more tense at the sight of the green cancer.

The Nod forces must have spotted them first as three Javelin rockets streaked straight up into the air, before plummeting down into the Mammoth tank. The heavy tank took all three rockets and kept moving, but black smoke started to billow out from the jagged holes that had been blown into its armour. It fired both barrels in retaliation, disintegrating one of the Stinger sites. The two Crusader tanks both fired in unison at the second Stinger site, however only one shell hit its target. A large hole was blown into the defensive wall, and flames began to consume the camouflage netting, but one of the Javelin soldiers had survived as he fired another rocket. It streaked into the sky then came barreling down and struck a Crusader tank in its turret, the explosion ripping through the compartment. A split second later the tank erupted into flames as the ammunition ignited.

The second Crusader fired again, and this time destroyed the Stinger site. The Mammoth then moved up the small incline and past the burning defences. It began pummeling the Tiberium refinery, ripping apart the building and sending blackish-green smoke into the air.

McCoy and his squad took cover behind one of the Mammoth's massive treads, and began to trade fire with Nod soldiers as they emerged from the refinery. McCoy fired small bursts towards the fleeing targets, and managed to kill two soldiers before he was forced to duck down as bullets pinged off the tank armour. The Mammoth fired again, causing every bone in McCoy's body to vibrate. He stood back up and fired again, taking down another Nod soldier. West and the others managed to kill the last of the enemy defenders, as the rest of the Nod troops fled across the small bridge, and behind the safety of more Stinger sites and automated turrets.

The Mammoth tank rolled towards the bridge but stopped just short of it. The refinery was in ruins, and McCoy could see a Tiberium harvester up in flames in the center of the Tiberium field. McCoy and his squad moved to join the rest of the unit as they took position by the bridge. One of the Nod turrets fired at them but the shell fell short, and harmlessly exploded in the river. The GDI force kept just out of range as the two M270s moved into position. McCoy looked across the river to see the Nod base. It was massive, well defended, and it also wasn't as run down as most Nod bases were these days. Instead of the typical barracks and warfactories, he could see Hands of Nod, power plants, communication buildings, and even a large temple. And although it was difficult to make out from his position, he could see extensive training fields and obstacle courses.

"Prometheus 1 and 2. Confirm whiskey papa ordnance?" Sergio's voice cut through McCoy's thoughts and he turned to see the two M270s deploy their weapons.

_"Confirm ordnance loaded. Targets locked in, ready to fire on your command Lieutenant."_ One of the operators replied.

"Fire!"

McCoy watched as both M270s fired two rockets each, they raced into the sky and left behind thick contrail clouds. The rockets then exploded in midair and dispersed thick white clouds above the Nod base. It was in that moment that McCoy came to a terrified realization: whiskey papa was white phosphorus.

The white clouds erupted into brilliant flames, and the entire base was consumed in hellish fire. The M270s fired again and covered even more of the base in fire. GDI soldiers cheered as the Nod base went up like a bonfire, but not McCoy. His whole body began to shake and sweat poured down his forehead, but not from the heat. There was one thing that he had never wanted to hear again, and that sound came wafting over the bridge, the sound of people burning to death. His hands were shaking violently but he balled them into fists, and then he went searched from the man responsible for the horror.

Lieutenant Sergio stood watching the flames, a smile stretched across his face as he seemed proud of the carnage. McCoy moved towards him just as Sergio spoke into his radio.

"Commander, enemy base neutralized."

McCoy didn't hear the reply as he was filled with anger and fear. Sergio turned to face him just as McCoy punched him in the face. Sergio's head snapped back and blood sprayed from his broken nose. Two soldiers nearby instantly drew their weapons and aimed them at McCoy. Before he could do anything else Reed ran up and grabbed him from behind, screaming in his ear.

"Sarge what the fuck are you doing!?"

Sergio was helped back up, blood covering his face, as he stared at McCoy with murder in his eyes.

"Are you out of your mind Sergeant? I'll have you court martialed! I'll have you shot! I'll-"

"You son of a bitch! We don't burn people! We don't do that shit! We aren't Nod." McCoy was on the verge of hysteria, the shaking was almost uncontrollable.

At some point during the confrontation King had placed himself between Sergio and McCoy. Reed still held on from behind, as the other two soldiers lowered their weapons. Sergio wiped the blood from his face, which was contorted in anger, with the raging inferno behind him adding a sinister look to his features.

"Sergeant Robert McCoy. For striking a superior officer, you are being immediately removed of your command and are unfit for duty. Someone remove this man from my sight!" Sergio tried to sound authoritative but ended up coming across as an angry child.

"We will Lieutenant." King said passively.

Reed finally let go of McCoy and gently guided him by the shoulder. King picked up McCoy's rifle, which he must have dropped at some point. West followed behind, and looked shell shocked from the whole exchange. McCoy had already forgotten about it however, instead he was focusing on trying to not vomit, as the smell of burning flesh assaulted his nose.

… … …

Mark Lancaster was busy typing away at his laptop, sitting on a cheap fold out chair and equally cheap table. He had hastily built his office in a prefabricated building, located in the remains of the smaller Nod base near the beach. The area had become a hotspot of activity since the battle ended yesterday, V-22 Ospreys and Chinooks were constantly deploying troops and supplies, as engineer crews worked to establish a more permanent base of operations. Hovercraft continued to drop off vehicles and heavy armour from the small GDI flotilla that now controlled the dwindling sea. He was ready to begin his push to reclaim Kazakhstan, but there was one small issue he had to deal with first.

He saved the report he was writing for General Granger, then opened the personnel file for Robert McCoy. He quickly glanced through it, then sighed before pressing a button on his tacpad.

"EVA. Send in Sergeant McCoy please."

"Yes sir." The mechanical voice replied.

Seconds later the door to his office opened and the haggard and exhausted looking Sergeant stepped in, an MP closely behind. He stood ramrod straight and saluted before saying.

"Sergeant Robert McCoy reporting as ordered sir!"

"At ease Sergeant, and take a seat."

McCoy sat in one of two fold out chairs arrayed before Mark's desk. McCoy continued to hold his rigid posture and Mark sighed again.

"So Sergeant. We have ourselves an issue. Striking a superior officer is a pretty serious crime. I could have you thrown into prison, and that would be the best option. Lieutenant Andreas had some…colorful suggestions for your punishment."

"I'm willing to face the consequences sir." McCoy spoke like he was a machine, devoid of emotion.

"Why did you do it Sergeant? You have a flawless record, served GDI for years. You're even one of my veterans from the war. I need to know why son."

"Because sir…because we don't burn people! That is a Nod tactic. We are better than them sir. What the Lieutenant did was-" McCoy suddenly became animated but Mark had to cut him off.

"Was well within my orders. I approved the use of white phosphorus ordnance."

McCoy looked stunned at the revelation. His mouth opened and closed as he seemed to be searching for the right thing to say. Finally he closed his mouth and lowered his head. He seemed so sad and Mark couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Why sir?" McCoy had said it so softly that Mark almost didn't hear it.

"We are still at war Robert. And in this war, I will do whatever is necessary. I know you suffer from PTSD. You have never missed an appointment with your psychiatrist, and as I said, you have a flawless record. So I am not going to punish you. But I will not have my commands, or the commands of my staff, questioned ever again. Is that clear Sergeant?"

"Yes sir."

Mark looked into those sad eyes for a moment, then nodded his head.

"You are dismissed."

McCoy shot to his feet and saluted, he quickly reached into his pocket and placed something on the desk, before turning and walking out of the office. Mark reached down and grabbed the object, and felt a pain in his heart as held the dog tags in his palm. He read the name etched into the metal, _P. Rodriguez. _The small tag felt like a brick in his hand as he respectfully placed it back down. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath. It was people like McCoy who forced him to remember that he wasn't commanding pieces in some game, he was commanding real, living people with souls. And so were his enemies, people with families and dreams he had just condemned to death.

He pushed those thoughts aside. They were a luxury for peacetime. Mark Lancaster still had a war to win.

… … …

**Author's note: Only three more chapters to go for this short story. Obviously there are several missions from Generals and Zero hour that have been cut out, and as is always the case when I cut out missions from the games, it's for story and pacing reasons. If your favourite mission isn't in this story, then I'm sorry.**

**Until next time.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Baikonur Cosmodrome, Southern Kazakhstan**

**September 20****th****, 2011**

**1200**

Hassan stepped out of the Technical and adjusted the mask covering his mouth and nose. The vehicle sped away, leaving him alone in the middle of the Tiberium infested train yard. Green crystals covered various buildings and train cars, and sprouted out from the tracks, slowly converting the metal to make more of itself. The field spread past the train yard and Hassan could see Harvesters greedily scooping up the crystals to be brought to refineries sitting at the edge of the field. Tiberium silos sat in neat rows, keeping the processed substance stored and ready to be used for production.

Hassan walked away from the decaying train yard and made his way towards the command centre. It was located in the middle of a large base built on the far edge of the old Soviet Cosmodrome. The building itself was a large complex, comprised of a communication building, officers' quarters, and the main command and control room. Juhziz had built this to be the seat of his new domain, as evidenced by the dozens of red and black Nod banners that hung along its walls, as well as the large green banner with the scorpion's tail insignia which was Juhziz's personal flag.

Hassan walked past two Hands of Nod, and nodded at the soldiers who were stationed outside. He quickly took in the scale of the base: warfactories were busy producing new vehicles. Power plants gave a low hum as they powered the more advanced defences that surrounded the base. Hassan also could see the entrances to the tunnel networks that crisscrossed just below the surface, allowing the Nod forces to move about quickly and unseen. Juhziz had clearly rallied all of his forces here, all committed to his cause.

Hassan stopped to gaze at the seemingly normal Harvester that was being carefully guarded by a squad of Juhziz's elite guard. The vehicle had been converted to safely carry the nuclear warhead that Hassan had stolen from Turkey. He still did not know the full extent of the General's plan, but whatever he intended to do was bound to only bring destruction upon the Brotherhood.

Hassan broke from his chain of thought and continued into the command building, passing by more guards. He quickly made his way through the halls, many still under construction as the interior had yet to be finished. He finally arrived at the main control room, and was pleasantly surprised to find it furnished with all the latest equipment; it was refreshing after having to rely on scrapped together material for so long.

Juhziz stood in the center, watching several screens that displayed pirated feeds from GDI satellites in orbit. A quick glance at one showed a large GDI base surrounding an old building, which Hassan guessed was the main control center for the Cosmodrome. Another screen displayed the main rocket yard, a large pit that had been dug out to accommodate the massive amounts of fire and smoke the missile would produce when launched. He could see two large scaffolds that could support the rockets, one of which was currently occupied by a rusted Suyez rocket, clearly decades old. The other was empty, and Hassan knew that the General intended to use the rocket yard to launch his nuclear missile. Hassan was busy thinking of potential targets as he waited for Juhziz to acknowledge his presence; the General seemed to enjoy his theatrics.

"Do you feel it Hassan?" Juhziz asked, sounding like he was in some kind of trance.

"Feel what sir?" Hassan tried to keep his concern out of his voice.

"The Spirit hand of Kane. He is with us today, victory will be ours with His blessing." Juhziz finally turned to Hassan, with a look of smug confidence.

"Kane lives in death." Hassan replied automatically.

He was careful to keep his doubts to himself. Juhziz may have brought a large force to bear, but GDI still greatly outmatched them. Looking back to the screens only helped reinforce those doubts. Airfields filled with Raptors and Orcas, entire rows of Crusader tanks, and more Humvees then Hassan cared to count. All Nod had to face against such force were Scorpion tanks, Rocket Buggies and Quad-cannons, and the new Marauder tanks. The Marauders were built primarily as tank destroyers: armed with heavy armour and a powerful cannon, they were effective at destroying GDI's superior tanks, but were expensive to produce. And this was all without the proposed plans to add drills to the tank, which would have allowed it to burrow into the ground and transform itself into an emplaced turret.

"Come Hassan. I want you to lead our forces today." Juhziz beckoned Hassan over to him.

Hassan obliged and walked up to stand beside the General. Juhziz then pointed out the rocket yard and control building, both well defended with Patriot batteries.

"Our first goal must be to take the main control building. Without it, we won't be able to take over the Cosmodrome. Second is obviously the missile launch facility itself. It shall be the tool upon which I visit terrible vengeance upon our enemies."

"Where do you intend to strike?" Hassan couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"London. The heart of the tyrants."

Hassan nodded to himself. Destroying London could very well throw GDI into chaos. It could cripple Europe and put the full weight of maintaining the Initiative on America. It could, in theory, be enough to break them.

"We shall lead a full frontal assault on the GDI stronghold. We must purge this place of their filth. It will be a daunting task, but thankfully we have allies coming to our aid." Juhziz turned away from the screens and walked towards a room built into the upper left corner of the room.

Inside there was exposed wiring and half-finished walls, but a large wooden table had been laid out in the middle of the room. Only a handful of chairs were in place, with the others still stored away somewhere. It was clear this room was intended to serve as a war room or conference area, no doubt to serve Juhziz's personal cabal when, or if, he took power. The General took a seat at the far end of the table, Hassan sat close by, pushing away a tool box.

"Who are these allies? Have you managed to recruit another cell?" Hassan asked.

"No. Prince Kassad has sent us what remains of Oslo's forces." A wide grin spread across Juhziz's face as Hassan stared at him in shock.

"Oslo is dead?" Hassan's voice was full of disbelief.

"General Oslo was killed when GDI raided Kosovo. The old bastard was too stubborn and thought he could win. He didn't count on the tyrants leveling the entire city of Pristina just to get to him."

Both men were silent as Hassan tried to process the information. With Oslo dead, that effectively made Juhziz the sole contender to be the ruler of the Brotherhood. If the General managed to pull off a nuclear strike on London, every Nod cell would rally to him.

"When will the reinforcements arrive?" Hassan finally asked after a moment.

"Within hours. Unfortunately we cannot wait for them as GDI is aware of our presence. We shall have to hope they arrive before the battle ends."

Hassan was careful to mask his emotions. Internally he was worried that Juhziz was relying too heavily on these men who hadn't even arrived.

"Do you think you can trust Kassad?"

"With Oslo gone, he wouldn't dare oppose me." Again Juhziz spoke with arrogance.

All Hassan could do was trust the man whom many had pinned their hopes on. Without a strong leader, the Brotherhood would collapse even further, and perhaps be utterly wiped out. Hassan squashed his dark thoughts and focused on the battle ahead. The General had rolled out an old map, made decades ago when the facility was still operational. It had markings of current positions and enemy strong points.

"We will need to cross the river bed here: that will bring us to an old refuelling station. Kell and his scouts report that it is only lightly occupied. From there we can attack the main base and take the control building. Kassad's forces are set to arrive from the east. Once the base is down, any remaining infidel forces should be easy to eliminate."

"What of the GDI force assaulting the capital? Are you not worried of a counter attack?"

GDI had steamrolled through the country and had quickly begun conquering city after city. Nod's crusade of liberation was being threatened, but Juhziz had still committed his forces to this operation. And when news that the infamous Mark Lancaster, the very man who had killed the Messiah, was here in Kazakhstan, many were terrified. And rightfully so; the man had been a huge thorn in Juhziz's side, yet the General seemed unfazed.

"I will deal with the demon when the time comes. I am well prepared for him." Juhziz's tone suggested an end to the conversation.

Hassan instead focused on the map and planned out the attack. It promised to be a blood bath, but if he focused on destroying the airfields, it may give him a slight advantage.

"There is one last thing. I have a new weapon for you to use, a weapon of divine vengeance. I think you will find it useful."

"I shall not fail you sir." Hassan tried to sound as confident as the General. He hoped it sounded convincing.

"I know you won't. After today, Hassan, we shall enter a new era. A new sun is rising."

Juhziz began discussing strategies, both for and after the battle. Hassan was swept up by the General's conviction, and was reminded as to why he followed him and his vision. But he still couldn't quell the doubt in his soul. He quickly prayed to God and to Kane, hoping that they would be watching over him.

… … …

Sergeant Allen Bradley took another drag from his cigarette as he leaned back in his chair. He kicked away empty MRE wrappers and placed his feet on the old desk in front of him. He and his squad were tasked with holding down the abandoned refuelling station, a job he was half convinced serve as some sort of punishment. He couldn't think of what he would be punished for. Surely it couldn't have been over those drunken remarks he had made last week. Sure, they may have been a bit racist towards Commander Xiang, but it wasn't Bradley's fault: he had been drunk after all. Unfortunately, that didn't completely vindicate him, and he had been assigned here. Supposedly he was task with guarding the building and to act as an early warning for the base in case Nod attacked. But the Brotherhood was such a joke that he didn't feel worried at all.

The rest of his squad was either playing a game of poker, or taking a nap. If anyone had seen them now, he was sure they would get thrown into lock up, they were on duty after all. But there was no chance that he or his men would get reported. The only other people in the building were Sergeant Dylan and his squad, who occupied the bottom floor. And Dylan was scared enough of Bradley that the man would do whatever he told him to do.

Bradley flicked his cigarette onto the dust strewn floor, then shifted in his seat to get more comfortable. One of the men playing poker, Corporal Monroe, looked up from the game.

"Hey Sergeant. You want in on the next game?"

"Nah I'm good. I'm still hungry." Bradley patted his rumbling stomach for emphasis.

"Still? Holy shit Sarge, you ate two MREs already."

"Fuck off Monroe. Someone go downstairs and get one from Dylan."

"Why do we have to do it?"

"Because I'm in charge and you do as I say."

Monroe just flipped him the bird and resumed his game. Bradley grumbled to himself and got off the chair, stretching his tired muscles. He was about to call Dylan but couldn't find his radio. He searched around the desk but found it a moment later when it crackled to life and Dylan's voice came through.

_"Sergeant Bradley come in. We got a situation, over?"_ The kid sounded like he was going to shit his pants. How he ever made sergeant was beyond Bradley's understanding.

He finally found the radio under a pile of documents that he had thrown to the floor. He picked it up and quickly replied to the kid before he ruined his trousers.

"Yeah yeah I hear yah. What situation?"

_"I spot three Nod vehicles approaching. Should we contact command?"_

Bradley moved to the window, quickly wiping off the dust with his sleeve and then looked outside. He burst out laughing and nearly tripped over a discarded box as he backed away. The others looked at him like he was a mad man, but he paid them no mind. There were indeed three vehicles approaching them, but they were beaten down farm tractors with armour bolted onto them. He did noticed turrets mounted to the top, but the tractors were moving so slowly he guessed they wouldn't reach the GDI troops for another ten minutes. Curiosity finally compelled Monroe to have a look, and his reaction was more of confusion than amusement.

"Dylan you fucking idiot. You aren't seriously afraid of some shit together tractor? Grow a fucking pair man."

_"But Sergeant, we've never seen something like this before. We should report it, maybe this is just the vanguard of an attack."_

"If a bunch of tractors is what Nod is sending as the vanguard, then we don't have to worry about any kind of attack. Calm down, pull your panties out of your crotch, and bring me some damn food."

_"But-"_

"Dylan. Shut the fuck up." Bradley turned off the radio and tossed it onto the desk.

Monroe was still at the window when he said, "Maybe we should do something about them?"

Bradley just sighed, then moved to the back corner of the room where they had stored some heavier ordnance. Sniper rifles, rocket and grenade launchers, and even some heavy machine guns. All piled up in case command was serious about occupying the dusty old building. He picked up an AT4 launcher and tossed it to Monroe, then more carefully piled three more launchers by the window.

"Here, have fun."

Bradley returned to his seat and pulled out another cigarette, just as Monroe broke the glass window and took aim with the launcher. The others scrambled out of the way, not wanting to get blasted by the backblast. Bradley braced himself for the loud noise, but instead of a missile streaking away, he heard Monroe's concerned voice.

"Uh Sarge. Those things just got a lot faster. And…what the fuck? They got big ass water tanks strapped to them."

"What?"

Bradley got up and walked over to the window. Sure enough the three tractors were moving much faster, and they had large transparent holding tanks bolted to their frame. Tubes connected the tanks to the turret on top, but they weren't filled with water, instead they glowed green.

"Monroe, fucking shoot them!"

Monroe didn't wait for Bradley to get out of the way, instead he fired a rocket, filling the room with exhaust smoke. Outside the missile impacted one of the tractors, causing it to explode into a greenish black fire ball. That pretty much confirmed what Bradley had been afraid of. Those tractors were carrying Tiberium. He had heard of weapons that could spray refined Tiberium, and anyone unlucky to be caught in the stream would have their flesh melted clean off the bone.

"Fuck! Monroe what are you waiting for? Fire again!"

"Fuck off Sarge!" Monroe shouted as he fumbled with the second AT4; clearly he understood what was going on too.

The others had grabbed their weapons and moved to other windows to see what was going on. Bradley just stood there and watched as Monroe fired again, destroying the second tractor. The third kept coming towards them, moving as fast as it could. It was then that Bradley realized that no one from Dylan's squad was firing at the thing. He quickly grabbed his radio and turned it back on.

"Dylan what the fuck are you doing? Are you going to shoot the bastard or-"

_"There's three more of them behind us! I've been trying to tell you that for ten fucking minutes! They're almost on top of us!"_

Bradley ran to the other side of the room and looked out the adjacent window. His stomach dropped as he noted three more tractors roll past the burning remains of another two. They were almost at the edge of the building when all three unleashed a stream of green sludge. Bradley dropped the radio and stumbled backwards, hot piss running down his leg. Horrified and inhuman screams burst from the radio, as Dylan and his men were consumed by the weaponized Tiberium. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he wanted to run and scream. But before he could do anything, a stream of green sludge broke through the window and slammed into him. At once, a pain so intense it was indescribable, surged right through him.

The only thing Sergeant Allen Bradly could do was simply scream, and scream, until the Tiberium finally consumed his lungs.

… … …

Hassan stood on top of a large pipe that used to feed water underneath a man-made dirt bridge. He watched as the Tiberium Tractors reduced the refuelling station to radioactive slag. They were crude recreations of the Messiah's designs, but they had proven effective.

He turned to face the rest of the force. Columns of Scorpion and Marauder tanks were idling, waiting for the order to move. Behind them were Technicals and Attack Buggies. Further behind them were Rocket Buggies, which would act as artillery. There were no APCs or other transports, so the infantry would have to ride in the Technicals or on top of the Marauders.

Hassan turned his gaze to the GDI base, just visible from his position. The main entrance was guarded by towers and Patriot batteries. He had been ordered to siege the base and reduce it to ruin, but he had devised his own strategy. Instead of rushing for the control building like the General wanted, he would instead focus down the airfields, to cripple GDI's air supremacy. For that he held his Quad-cannons in reserve, ready to move up should the Orcas or Raptors be deployed. There was no more time to waste, no more time to plan; all Hassan could do was hope reinforcements would arrive.

He quickly returned to his personal Technical. Jarmen Kell sat in the back, along with two elite guard. Juhziz's elites were armed with highly customized SCAR rifles. They were well trained, and had been ordered to keep him alive. Barely acknowledging the occupants of the vehicle, Hassan took his seat at the front. He noticed Kell giving him a snarl of annoyance, but Hassan ignored the assassin as the radio came to life, General Juhziz spoke to address the whole army.

_"Brothers and Sisters! Today we fall upon our enemies with a great vengeance. We have come here to acquire the tools to exact justice. Justice for the murder of our Messiah! Victory today will mean the reunification of our Brotherhood. And we shall be its new rulers! Attack!"_

The radio was filled with shouts of bloodlust or offered prayers for victory. But it was soon drowned out by a chorus of _Peace through power. _Hassan joined in, as did everyone else in the vehicle save Jarmen Kell. But deep down, doubt still gnawed at Hassan's soul. Would the Brotherhood truly survive Juhziz's ambitions? Would GDI really be afraid to retaliate? He just didn't know.

He pushed his thoughts down as the army surged forward. The Marauder tanks opened up with their heavy cannons, and fired on the defensive batteries ahead of them. Most of the shells fell short and kicked up large plumes of dirt. Rocket Buggies unleashed their salvos and Hassan watched the missiles fly over the Nod forces. The rockets found their mark, and Patriot batteries began exploding while guard towers were brought down. Flames started consuming the base's entrance and alarm sirens began to wail. Quad-cannons raised their anti-air guns in preparation of an air strike.

A few of the Patriot batteries had survived the first volley of tank and rocket fire, and fired a return salvo. Hassan watched as a Marauder tank exploded, and the squad of soldiers riding on its back were sent flying, dead long before their bodies hit the ground. More Technicals and Attack Buggies were destroyed, but still the Nod forces pressed on. The Rocket Buggies fired a second volley and the final defences were destroyed, and they surged into the GDI base like a flood. Marauders, Scorpions, and Buggies raced ahead, but immediately came upon a wall of Crusader tanks and even some wheeled B1 Centauro tanks.

The GDI forces opened fire and reaped a terrible harvest from the Nod attackers. The front of the base was quickly littered with burning hulks of Nod vehicles. Hassan's own Technical narrowly missed a shell fired from a B1 that shot past them. The Nod forces fought back however: soldiers quickly leaped off the Marauders and moved into the base, striking down the GDI infantry who were still stumbling out of their barracks. Quad-cannons moved away from the main attack force and made their way towards the small airfields where crews were scrambling to get their craft ready.

Hassan pointed the driver to a hangar where a Black Hawk helicopter was in a state of disassembly. The Technical weaved around the combating forces in an effort to find cover. The gunner on the back was firing at targets as they raced past, and even Kell was attempting to kill something with his sniper rifle. They eventually reached the hangar without any incident and Hassan and his guards got out. The hangar was empty and Hassan quickly moved to set it up as an impromptu rallying point. He began to call for the various infantry units scattered around the base when he heard the Quad-cannons open fire.

Outside GDI Orcas lifted into the air, only to be cut apart like cheap toys. Airmen and infantry both tried to take down the AA guns while crews attempted to get their Raptors or Orcas airborne. Hassan nodded approvingly. So long as they could keep GDI out of the air, they would have a chance of winning this. However GDI was well aware of this as well, and he spotted several Humvees and Crusader tanks racing towards the airfields.

"All call signs, this is Hierarch Actual! Rally to my position! We must keep the infidels from getting their air power off the ground. All call signs rally to me!" Hassan finished by rattling off the coordinates, then repeated the message once more.

Hassan looked to see his forces struggle to push through the GDI defenders, causing more and more burning wrecks to be added to the building scrapheap at the base's entrance. In the meantime, infantry fought their way towards the service hangars that Hassan and his guard had taken. Many outright ran for them while other were engaged in fighting retreats. The GDI soldiers had been slow to react but were quickly finding their footing. Hassan could see grenadier squads moving towards the Quad-cannons, as they continued to destroy enemy air units as they were still inside their hangars.

Kell had rested his rifle on the hood of the Technical, and was picking off enemy infantry one by one. There were already several spent magazines laying at his feet. The gunner was likewise picking out his targets and firing long burst of machine gun fire.

Nod may have made it inside the base, but it was clear that pushing to the control building would be near impossible. Hassan readied the radio again but stopped as a grenade exploded just outside the hangar. A squad of GDI infantry had somehow snuck up on them and was engaged with his guards. Kell dropped his sniper rifle and pulled out his sidearm, firing three quick bullets which caught a grenadier in the chest. The man fell backwards before he could get another shot off, but one of the soldiers quickly grabbed the weapon and retreated into cover, however Hassan was too busy keeping his head down to care as his guards exchanged fire with the enemy. Outside the Nod troops were rallying around the AA guns, trying to defend them while both Nod and GDI tanks continued their deadly dance.

Kell retreated into the hangar and took cover with Hassan behind the body of the Black Hawk. Outside the two guards and the gunner continued to battle against the enemy troops, until the Technical exploded in a brilliant flash. Jagged bits of metal pinged off the helicopter, and thick black smoke quickly filled the small service hangar. Only one guard survived the explosion, but was quickly shot dead before he could get back on his feet. Kell shouldered his sniper rifle and Hassan fumbled to bring his own weapon to bear. The GDI soldier with the grenade launcher literally jumped into the view and was about to pull the trigger, had Kell not been faster and blew half the man's face clean off.

The remaining three soldiers fired wildly into the hangar, and bullets ricocheted everywhere. Hassan managed to fire back and hit a soldier center mass. Kell finished off the other two, and both men were silent as they listened to the Technical burn. They heard more footsteps approaching but relaxed when soldiers in familiar black and red uniforms appeared.

"Commander Hassan, sir. Are you alright?" One trooper asked.

"Yes I'm fine." Hassan picked himself up and walked to the entrance.

In the brief firefight, things had gone from bad, to worse. Most of his armour had been destroyed, with only a handful of Marauders and perhaps twice as many Scorpions still actively fighting. All of his Rocket Buggies and light vehicles were scattered across the base, and what was left of his infantry were split between holding the service hangars, or defending the Quad-cannons. The only silver lining was that the GDI airfields were in ruins, and fires were rapidly consuming a couple powerplants. But the majority of the GDI base was intact, and he could see that the enemy was gearing up for a final counter push. Hassan quickly grabbed for his radio, cursing under his breath until the General finally answered.

"General, our forces are being overwhelmed! We need those reinforcements. Where the hell is Kassad?"

_"They haven't arrived yet? Kassad just assured me his men were close by."_

"Well they sure as hell aren't here helping! Tell that bastard to hurry up."

_"Watch your tone with me boy. I…"_ General Juhziz fell silent for a moment.

Hassan wasn't sure what was going on. But he put the radio down for a moment to coordinate with his platoon leaders while quickly calling all of his remaining forces to concentrate on the service hangers. The half tracked Quad-cannons began to drive in reverse as they fled the ruined airfields, air crews still firing small arms fire at them. Meanwhile infantry ran ahead of what few tanks were left as they all converged together. Curiously, the GDI forces didn't pursue them and instead, they fell back to the smoking hangars where Raptors and Orcas had failed to take off. Hassan knew that the enemy was simply gathering their forces. He picked up the radio again and called for the General, unable to keep the impatience from his voice.

"General I need those extra troops now or we'll never take the-"

_"Kassad isn't coming."_

Hassan was stunned into silence. It took him a few seconds for him to comprehend what Juhziz was saying.

"What do you mean? What happened to those reinforcements?"

_"The coward recalled his men back to Cairo! When I get my hands on that traitorous bastard I'll-"_

"Sir! We need to fall back. We can't hold our position here, if we try we will be wiped out." Hassan regretted cutting the General off as he did not wish to evoke his wrath, but they were fighting a losing battle.

_"No! I did not come this far only to be denied now! Hold your ground, we shall win even without Kassad's men."_

"But-"

_"No retreat."_

Juhziz ended the call and the radio was filled with empty static. Hassan just stared at it, fuming with rage.

"What is happening?" Kell asked as he stepped over, sniper rifle cradled in his arms.

"Kassad has abandoned us. And Juhziz has ordered we hold our ground anyways." Hassan spat onto the ground.

"I don't get paid enough for this." Was all Kell said in response.

There was an odd moment of calm as both sides readied to fight again. Crusader tanks and Humvees gathered on the runways as infantry crowded around them. B1 tanks and more infantry gathered near the entrance, which was littered with burning wrecks. Meanwhile Hassan's last remaining Marauders took point ahead of the seventeen Scorpions he had left. His remaining companies of infantry and two Attack Buggies were arrayed around the service hangar, awaiting his commands. It was up to him now to save these men and try to salvage a victory. But only if the Spirit hand of Kane would grant them a miracle.

The GDI host surged forward, infantry running at a full sprint, while Crusader tanks fired wild shots. His Marauders responded in kind with most shells missing, but one made a direct hit and blew the turret of a Crusader clean off. Nod soldiers found what cover they could and hosed down the GDI troops trying to rout them out, while the Buggies tried to distract the Humvees.

As the chaos of battle raged around them, Kell was calm as stone. He only stopped firing his sniper rifle to reload. Hassan had placed his weapon off to the side as he tried to coordinate the battle, difficult as it was to do in the thick of the fighting. He yelled in his radio, his voice going hoarse. He directed the Marauders to take down the Crusaders so the Scorpions could focus down the lighter vehicles. It seemed like they were winning at first, but then the second group of GDI troops entered the fray. Two B1 tanks fired at once and pierced through a Marauder's chassis, the tank erupted into flames.

Hassan looked out in dismay at the carnage, all of which was the result of Juhziz's impatience and Kassad's cowardice. Hassan no longer concerned himself with trying to win the battle, and instead looked for a way to escape. He looked into the other service hangars arrayed in a semi-circle. Much like the one he was in, the others had vehicles in various states of repair, including an A-10 Warthog. From this distance Hassan couldn't tell what was wrong with the plane, but he could see that it was fully armed with rockets. Hassan gave a quick prayer of thanks to Kane, then turned to Kell.

"We need to get to that hangar!" He yelled over the bark of Kell's rifle.

Kell kept his sniper rifle shouldered, but followed Hassan's gaze to the Warthog hangar. He gave a wicked smile and nodded. They gathered a squad of infantry to come with them, and then Hassan ordered the other forces to cover them as they ran for the hanger. It wasn't a far run, but with the GDI troops quickly pushing through, it didn't grant them much time.

The tanks exchanged another volley of shells and the ground rumbled from the explosions. The roar of gunfire chased at Hassan and his entourage as they ran across the pavement. One soldier fell face forward as a bullet blew a hole in the back of his head, causing the others to stop and return fire. As soon as Hassan and Kell reached the hangar, the assassin immediately twirled around and began firing his heavy sniper rifle. Every time it gave a loud bark, a GDI soldier would find himself with more holes then needed.

Hassan scrambled into the cockpit of the fighter. He had no idea how to operate it, but all he needed to know was how to fire the weapons. He was pleasantly surprised to find the Warthog had recently been upgraded with the latest technology GDI had to offer. An on board EVA unit greeted him with a slightly feminine voice, before asking what systems he wanted to activate. Apparently they had yet to install any security measures yet, which worked well in his favour. He quickly called up the weapons systems and watched as streams of data quickly scrolled down the console before giving him a full list of weapons. Anti-tank rockets and armour piercing rounds were all loaded and ready to fire. Just in time too, as the GDI forces had broken through the Nod troops. A single Marauder and two Scorpions belched black smoke into the air from grievous wounds, with the other Nod tanks having retreated behind the hangars as the GDI armour simply rolled through. The infantry likewise were falling back to the A-10 hangar, being chased by GDI regulars and armed airmen.

Hassan quickly targeted the Crusader and Centauro tanks, the EVA unit confirming a positive lock. Without giving warning to Kell or the others, Hassan pressed down on the trigger. The hangar became engulfed in smoke as the rockets fired, flying only a few feet off the ground and narrowly missing the heads of Nod soldiers. As the rockets curved slightly to track their targets, one Crusader tank had moved slightly ahead of the others and was the first to be ripped apart by the rockets. Seconds later the other tanks were torn asunder and any infantry nearby were pelted with burning debris. A feral laugh escaped Hassan's mouth as he switched to the heavy rotary cannon. At this point the Nod soldiers knew well enough to get out of the way, as Hassan unleashed a stream of metal. GDI troops didn't die from the torrent, instead they simply stopped existing.

Silence fell over the base again as the Nod forces emerged from cover to survey the destruction. The GDI tanks lay in ruin, and enemy infantry beat a hasty retreat to the control building. Hassan heaved a sigh of relief and gave another quick prayer of thanks to Kane. He climbed out of the cockpit only to come face to face with Kell. The man looked him up and down, then simply gave an approving nod before walking off. Hassan could only guess that meant the man was impressed, Hassan on the other hand, couldn't believe his plan had worked. He took several deep breaths, then called Juhziz, watching his men re-establish defences in anticipation of another attack.

_"Hassan? Have you taken the base yet?"_ The General sounded impatient, and that caused a surge of anger to course through Hassan.

"Negative. We have taken control over the southern half of the airfield. We have just repelled an enemy attack. I need extra troops if I am to take the base." Hassan said a little too hotly.

_"I'll send you what I can. But you need to hurry up. Lancaster will doubtlessly be aware of our operation now and will come here soon. Don't fail me."_ The General cut the line again before Hassan could say anything.

With a frustrated sigh he turned to his troop commanders and quickly organized his forces. He had two Marauders and seven Scorpions left, plus just over a companies' worth of foot soldiers. It was a miracle that they had survived, but Hassan knew that these men would not be enough to take the rest of the base. Beyond the ruined airfield, there were still barracks, and warfactories to capture or destroy, as well as the control building. Not to mention whatever other defences GDI had scattered across the Cosmodorme.

Hassan and his forces waited for fifteen minutes for Juhziz's reinforcements. In that time they had not been attack, nor had they seen any activity from their enemy. Hassan was relieved when four Attack Buggies and ten Attack Bikes came racing towards them, and with three BTR-80s trailing behind them. It wasn't much, but it would be enough. Kell walked up to Hassan, along with a soldier that he recognized as the man from the Turkey mission.

"Commander Hassan." Korvich greeted respectfully, giving a slight bow.

"I suggest we divide our forces for the final attack." Kell began without preamble. "I will take the bulk of our troops and secure the base. You take Korvich and his men to secure the control building."

Hassan had learned not to take offence from the assassin giving him orders. But he still couldn't help but question the man's plan.

"Divide our forces? We are already severely diminished. To take the control building will be a daunting task all on its own."

"We just need the central command room. We take that, and the rest of the facility will follow." Kell said reassuringly, rather than his usual dismissive snarl.

"I have two squads of well-trained veterans, sir. We can secure the building." Korvich added.

Hassan mulled it over for a moment, looking between the haggard and worn features of Korvich, to the hardened and uncaring face of Jarmen Kell. Finally he nodded his head and spoke with a commanding tone.

"Very well. Kell, take our forces and route out the infidels. Brother Korvich, lead the way."

Korvich bowed again and began to move off towards a waiting group of Nod soldiers. Kell simply nodded and moved to address the rest of the force. Hassan noted that Korvich and his men were geared for close quarters combat, switching out SCAR or AK rifles for sub machine guns and shotguns. The arsenal ranged from P90s and Vectors, to MP5s and even single handed Uzis. Two men toted heavy duty pump action shotguns, and Hassan felt bad for anyone who would meet the business end of those weapons.

Hassan and the others fell in behind a single Attack Buggy as it slowly moved towards the control building. Kell meanwhile had taken position on the back of a Marauder and led the other Nod troops deeper into the base. Within moments the sound of gunfire erupted, closely followed by the sound of tanks firing. Hassan ignored it and focused on the task at hand, shifting his grip on his rifle.

The Buggy picked up speed and moved away from Hassan and his men. It opened fire on a cluster of GDI soldiers guarding the front entrance. The large calibre machine gun punching through sandbag barricades and shredding apart the enemy troops. Suddenly several second and third floor windows shattered as bullets rained down on the small force. The Buggy quickly shifted its aim as Hassan and others searched for cover. He found himself beside Korvich, hiding behind a rusted cargo truck that must have been left here by the previous occupants. The two men fired on the windows at random, hoping to drive back the defenders. Hassan did not want to get bogged down into a protracted firefight, but the enemy had been prepared for them. He fired another burst but fell back into cover when bullets pinged off the truck.

The Buggy began racking its machine gun back and forth across the front of the building. Hassan saw an opening and ordered his men to rush for the front door. They ran across the weed covered front lawn as the Buggy kept the enemy suppressed. Bits of earth were torn up around them as a few gunners managed to get a couple bursts off.

Hassan almost tripped over a dead GDI soldier, but quickly regained his footing and took position by the door, underneath the gunners above. Korvich kicked the doors open and they all entered into the front lobby. Hassan was taken back for a moment at how clean and modern the interior was, compared to the outside of the building which was borderline dilapidated. The inside was cleaned and polished, walls painted a dull grey. A large silver diving eagle was moulded to the wall adjacent to the door, the faint outlines of the hammer and sickle barely visible beneath it.

The lobby was empty, but Hassan could hear gunfire coming from down the hallways. He had no idea how many enemies could be inside the building, and it caused him to glance at every corner with suspicion.

"Where to Sergeant Korvich?" Hassan asked while clutching his rifle tighter.

"The main control room is located below us. Everything above is just administrative." Korvich stated simply.

The team made their way inside towards the back of the building. A row of elevators were situated on front of a large stairwell, but two of the four elevators were currently under repair. The team ignored them and took the stairs down. They continued to encounter no resistance. It was by the second floor that Hassan wondered how the fighting outside was going, hoping that Kell could handle things.

They reached the third and final floor and stacked up by the doors. One of Korvich's men slowly opened the door, MP5 held at the ready. As soon as he opened the door by a few centimeters bullets ripped through the thin wood and tore into his body. The man jerked around as blood splattered everything and everyone behind him. The bullets finally stopped and what was left of the man fell to the ground. Korvich and his men returned fire, firing blinding around the remains of the door.

Hassan stayed back as lethal bits of metal filled the space where the door was. Another Nod soldier fell to the ground, bullets having torn up his lungs. Another moved to toss a grenade but was killed before he could pull the pin. Korvich quickly snatched up the grenade and tossed it down the hall in one fluid motion. The grenade exploded with a dull thud, followed by agonized screams. The two shotgun wielding troopers then charged into the hallway and Hassan couldn't see what happened, but he heard three powerful blasts from the weapon before things fell silent. Korvich and his men pushed forward and Hassan followed. In the hall was ten GDI soldiers, some in combat dress, others in officer's uniforms. Three men lay dead with more than half their torsos missing which Hassan tried not to look at.

At the far end of the hall was a large steel door that doubtlessly led to the control room. Other than the four elevator doors, the hall was devoid of any other rooms or doors. The team moved slowly towards the control room, weapons shouldered. The two heavy troopers took point and opened the steel doors, quickly jerking backwards in anticipation of an attack. But when none came, they all moved inside.

The control room was empty, with no one manning the countless consoles or terminals. There were no guards or technicians, nor any officers. Korvich and his men fanned out, still cautious of a trap. Hassan simply moved to the center of the room and looked up at a massive screen that dominated a fair portion of the wall. It displayed live feeds from all over the Cosmodrome, including the base and the main rocket yard. It was then that Hassan could see the large amounts of construction equipment and heavy duty machinery arrayed around the rocket yard. GDI had been in the process of repairing and expanding it.

Hassan had heard that GDI had been aggressively expanding its space programs, creating more satellites and even building more of their dreaded Ion cannons. All of which would require more launch sites, such as the old Cosmodrome. Hassan smiled to himself, knowing that they could take the tools of oppression away from GDI and use it against them.

Korvich came up to Hassan and reported that the room was secured. Hassan tried to get a hold of Kell to see how the battle was going, keeping his eyes on the large view screen the entire time.

"Kell do you copy? Jarmen do you hear me?" Hassan flinched when he heard the bark of a familiar sniper rifle.

_"Yes I hear you! I'm busy up here! The bastards have holed themselves inside the communications centre!"_ Kell shouted over the din of battle, making no attempts to hide his anger.

Hassan shifted his focus to another monitor, this one displaying a satellite view if the base. He could see Kell and his forces pinned down outside the Comms building as GDI made a desperate defence. GDI no longer had its Crusader tanks to rely on, instead they only had a handful of B1s and Humvees. However it was the column of Patriot batteries that were giving Kell the most problems, keeping his armour further back and unable to cover the infantry.

"Sergeant Korvich. Is there any way we can disable those batteries from here?" Hassan asked as he turned to face the man.

Korvich responded by gesturing for one of his men to come forward. The soldier carried a large backpack on top of his regular kit.

"Delmonte, see what you can do."

Delmonte nodded and pulled out a laptop from his bag. He quickly set it down and plugged it into a terminal, his fingers began typing faster than Hassan thought was possible. The others took up positions around the door, ready in case of an attack. Hassan watched Delmonte work, complex streams of numbers filled his laptop screen. After a few moments Delmonte smiled to himself and said,

"Too easy."

Hassan was about to ask what he had done but it became unnecessary when he looked back to the screen. The Patriot missile batteries had turned from targeting the Nod attackers, to instead targeting the GDI forces. They unleashed a salvo of missiles that slammed into the backs of the wheeled B1 tanks. The enemy defenders were caught completely by surprise. With the enemy distracted, Kell pushed his advantage and stormed the building. The assassin's cold voice cut through the radio.

_"I'll assume that was your doing Hassan. Took you long enough."_

Hassan merely ignored the man and moved to call Juhziz, smiling as he had done the impossible and claimed the Cosmodrome.

"General, the base is secured and the control building is ours. Kell is cleaning up the last stragglers as we speak." Hassan smiled towards Korvich, who simply stood by with an impassive expression.

_"Well done Commander. But do not celebrate yet. We need to control the rocket yard or else this whole operation will be for nothing."_ Juhziz still sounded impatient.

"I'll get it done."

Hassan felt disappointed. How could the General not be thrilled at what Hassan had just achieved? He had done the impossible and given the man his prize, yet still he spoke to Hassan with impertinence.

He scoffed and shook his head, and was about to write it off and consider the mission complete, until he noticed a trio of Humvees drive into the construction yard by the launch pads. They were then joined by another five, each Humvee disgorging soldiers and general staff. More GDI personnel flooded into the rocket yard, coming from all over the facility. He had no idea what they were doing, but he intended to stop it.

"Kell what's your status?"

_"Comms building is secure. There was no one here, almost like they abandoned it."_ Kell sounded almost disappointed at having been denied a fight.

"They did. GDI forces are clustered around the launch pads."

_"Why?"_

"Why don't you go ask them? I count seven Humvees and close to sixty foot targets. It should be easy enough for you."

Kell replied by giving a short laugh. The Nod forces scrambled out of the base and moved towards the rocket yard. The launch pads were connected to the base by a short road. It was perhaps a five minute drive, so it did not take long for the Buggies and Bikes to reach the rocket yard. Hassan watched through the screen as two Bikes fired their rockets and promptly destroyed a Humvee. The Humvees opened up with their heavy chain guns, easily tearing through the light armour. Two Scorpion tanks moved in to finish what the Bikes had started, but disappeared in a brilliant fireball. Hassan was dumbfounded for a moment, until he spotted two Orcas swoop into view. The fighters quickly dispatched the light vehicles and began to harass the infantry that were moving into the construction yard.

Moments later four Chinook helicopters came into view and touched down. Hassan expected to see more GDI soldiers come out, but instead was shocked to find the enemy pile inside of them. It became abundantly clear that the enemy was retreating, but without proper AA, there was nothing he could do to stop them. Hassan clenched his fists as he watched the Chinooks lift off and fly away. The Orcas fired off another volley of rockets before quickly following them, leaving behind destroyed Buggies and tanks.

Kell's angered voice raged over the radio but Hassan paid him no mind. He sunk into a chair and let the weight of the day fall off him. The battle was over, but he knew this victory would be short lived.

… … …

Several hours had past, and Nod forces were busy working on rebuilding the base around the control building, or setting up defences around the launch pads. The entire area was filled with activity, as more Nod forces arrived from other parts of the country. Juhziz had called back his troops from the capital, planning to make a last stand here. Stinger sites and turrets were built over GDI defences. Groundwork was laid out for tunnels connecting the Nod base and the control building.

Hassan watched it all through the large screen in the control room. It was now filled with Nod officers and technicians as they worked to get the Cosmodrome up and running. Kell sat to the side, cleaning his sniper rifle. Both men were waiting for General Juhziz to arrive, and they were not eager to face him. Despite the desperate victory, Juhziz was still angry at Kassad's betrayal, the General did not take such things lightly.

The man walked into the room like a storm and marched towards Hassan with the speed and determination of a lightning bolt. Hassan was about to bow to him but was stopped as the General launched into his tirade.

"I want that bastard's head. Kassad will not get away with crossing me." Juhziz was seething.

Hassan wanted to say that Kassad wasn't enough of a threat to warrant such a response, but he bit his tongue. Kell likewise remained silent as he met Juhziz's gaze.

"Hassan, you will go to Egypt and hunt the traitor down. Rally what forces are loyal to us and bring me his head. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir. I will bring the Prince to justice." Hassan bowed and hoped that would be the end of it. He was sadly mistaken.

"This has nothing to do with justice. This is purely vengeance. We are on the cusp of my greatest victory, and I will not let the likes of Kassad or Lancaster ruin it. Take Kell with you and don't come back until you've dealt with the bastard." Juhziz turned to face Kell directly. "Make it slow. And make it painful."

"Yes sir."

Both men hastily left the control room, leaving the General to stew in his anger. They made their way outside and walked briskly to the airfield, where Nod Apaches and Hinds now rested. They moved towards one such Hind that sat off to the side, its rotor blades starting to spin up. Korvich waited for them and ushered them onto the gunship, and within minutes they were in the air. The Cosmodorme sank away beneath them as they began their hunt. Hassan was silent. A great victory had been achieved today, yes, but somehow, that had yet to assuage his doubts.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Cairo, Egypt**

**September 22****nd****, 2011**

**0800**

The sun beamed down in harsh rays, unhindered by the stark blue sky. It baked the golden sands and radiated heat off the dunes. Hassan stood on one such dune and basked in the heat, savoring it like some long lost lover. He had missed his home dearly, being gone too long, fighting in one battle or another. It felt good to be back in Egypt, even if the circumstances were not pleasant.

Egypt had been conquered by GDI after the war. Then liberated by Brotherhood forces shortly after, before the country was divided and ended up in a strange limbo. Officially Egypt belonged to Nod, and Kassad had been placed as its defacto ruler. Unofficially, GDI allowed Nod to maintain a degree of control. Whether it was because the fascists were spread too thin, or for some other reason Hassan did not know. But he was not here to fight infidels, he was here to kill heretics.

He turned away from basking in the sun to regarding the army arrayed before him, hidden amongst the sea of dunes just outside Cairo. It was a smaller force than the one he had command of in the Cosmodrome, but that did not make it anything to scoff at. Hassan had gathered every soldier in Egypt loyal to Juhziz to topple Kassad from his throne. It did not feel right, having brother kill brother, but such were the times they lived in and these men would know their duty.

His force consisted of the usual array of weaponry; Scorpions, Attack and Rocket Buggies, and Marauders. However what was truly unique about his new army was the inclusion of self-propelled artillery that had been salvaged from the war. Having proper artillery would be a huge help in the coming battle, for it seemed that this would not be a simple raid.

Hassan turned again as he spotted someone approaching. The figure quickly revealed himself to be Kell, and he did not look pleased. Then again, he never did.

"Did you find Kassad?" Hassan asked in way of greeting.

"Yes, and you're not going to like it. Kassad has three bases defending his little palace. One in the city, guarding the only bridge over the river. On the other side he has two more bases, one on top and the other below the cliffs. Getting to his palace won't be easy." Kell reported.

"The last thing we need is a prolonged siege. Any weaknesses?"

"The city base is surrounded by buildings. We can garrison them to gain better cover. It also leaves them with little room to maneuver. The other two? None. Not to mention the only way up the cliffs is through tunnels that run throughout the entire cliffside." Kell almost sounded worried, and Hassan couldn't blame him.

"Then we best get started. Take your pathfinders ahead."

Kell walked off and Hassan waited until Kell had gotten into a Technical and raced away. Hassan then made his way to the M4 mobile command vehicle and into the cramped compartment. Officers worked at terminals and handled communications, and maps of the region had been pinned to walls. Despite the claustrophobic nature of the vehicle it was nice and cool thanks to an A.C. unit. Hassan felt a shiver run down his spine from the sudden temperature shift, then moved to his personal station where he could command the entire army.

He offered a prayer at the small altar built into one corner, then he began orchestrating the coming symphony of war. First he deployed his artillery to the edge of the dunes, and made ready to rain destruction down onto the heretics. Second he deployed his armour to the outer limits of the city, causing great clouds of dust to be kicked up as tank treads and armoured wheels moved across the sand. His infantry followed behind in their APCs, as they would be the crutch of the first portion of this battle. Urban fighting was always a messy affair, but these soldiers were particularly hardened warriors of Nod. Egypt was a sacred place to the Brotherhood, and their faith was unparalleled.

The M4 was the last to move, slowly coming up behind the APCs and passing the artillery as they finished deploying their stabilizer struts. It would move to a safe distance but still be close enough to the battlefield that Hassan could have a more direct control over his forces.

"Commander Hassan, incoming message from Agent Kell." One of the officers reported.

"Let's hear him." Hassan responded calmly.

Kell's report was mechanical and to the point: _"I have visual on the enemy base. A large command center surrounded by four barracks and a single war factory. The compound is located in the center of the city overlooking the bridge. Defended by Stinger sites. It will not be an easy fight, but the buildings will give us good cover."_

Hassan thought over what the assassin had said. Using the civilian structures to cover his infantry was the best tactic as his armour would simply get bogged down in the streets.

"Get Kell to provide coordinates for our artillery. Then pass on commands to all company commanders: the infantry are to push in and take the base. Kell's pathfinders will offer support." Hassan ordered.

"Yes sir." His officers responded in unison.

Hassan felt a pang of guilt at the ruin he was about to bring to his home. As well as the need to order the deaths of men who would ordinarily be brothers in faith. But he pushed those feelings and his doubt away: there was to be no mercy for heretics.

"Coordinates locked in. Targets marked and identified. Firing in three, two…wait…. Something is wrong sir."

Hassan turned away from his station and moved to look over the technician's shoulder. The radio line with the artillery was suddenly awash with static. Any attempts to raise the gunners was met with silence.

"Sir! I'm getting multiple reports from our pathfinders of enemy troops movements inside the city." Another officer shouted.

Hassan was about to turn to address the man when the back section of the command cabin was blown open. Hassan was knocked back by the force of the blast, and the vehicle grounded to a halt as the entire rear end of the vehicle was torn apart.

Hassan coughed as smoke quickly filled the cabin. He looked around to see that the other officers had not been fortunate and had died in the attack. It was nothing short of a miracle that he had survived, other then some ringing in his ears and some minor scraps. He offered a quick prayer to God, then grabbed his rifle and jumped from the ruined M4.

Outside things were in chaos. His APCs were being harassed by swarms of Attack Bikes. Several were already in flames while others had stopped to deploy their occupants to fight back. Hassan selected the closest group of soldiers and went to move towards them, but stopped when they disappeared in a cloud of dirt and flames. Hassan dove for cover behind a mound of sand, then peaked around to see a convoy of BTR-80s speeding towards Hassan's forces. They bore the scorpion's tail insignia of the Brotherhood, but were painted in a dark burgundy as opposed to the blood red common with Nod armies.

The enemy troop carriers tore into his forces with the force of a sandstorm, and then quickly deployed their own compliment of soldiers. Kassad's troops were almost entirely made up of mercenaries and hired PMCs, armed with a variety of weapons. Hassan's loyalist troops were quick to regroup and begin fighting back.

Hassan once more searched for friendlies to rally with and spotted a squad of troops in cover behind an APC. They were pinned down by an enemy BTR and its compliment of mercs. Hassan took a deep breath then bolted across the harsh sands. One of the mercenaries spotted him and raised his weapon, an AK-47. The merc fired wildly, paying no heed to accuracy or ammo conservation. Bullets kicked up gouts of sand all around Hassan, but they all missed. Hassan ignored the incoming fire and kept running for safety.

One of his loyalists finally noticed him and began waving him on. Just as he was mere feet away, Hassan jumped the final distance and landed behind the APC, panting hard from the run.

No one stopped to greet him as the six soldiers all fired their weapons at the enemy troops. However their efforts were in vain as the BTR's heavy guns kept them thoroughly pinned down. One soldier finally addressed Hassan, offering a quick bow of respect despite being in combat.

"Commander Hassan, nice of you to join us. I give you a seven." Korvich said jovially.

"Seven? What are you talking about?" Hassan asked as he finally caught his breath.

"For your long jump sir. Seven out of ten, landing was a bit off."

Hassan stared at the man for a moment, dumbfounded at his sarcasm in the middle of a fight. Choosing to ignore the remark, Hassan took stock of the beleaguered squad: they were covered in sand and soot and seemed full of adrenaline. A moment later Hassan noticed the bodies scattered around the torn rear hatch of the APC. The others had not been lucky enough to make it.

"Any ideas on how to take out that troop carrier, Sergeant?" Hassan asked as he risked peaking around the side of the APC.

"We don't have any heavy weapons sir. Corporal Toppo already tried shouting at it, didn't work well."

"Sergeant Korvich?"

"Yes sir?"

"Shut up before I execute you."

"Yes sir."

Korvich did as was told and fell silent, instead firing a quick burst around the APC before narrowly missing a hailstorm of counter fire. Hassan pulled the radio from his belt and went to call for aid, but was assaulted by the massive amounts of frantic shouting and calls for help.

_"Hassan! Where the hell is that artillery? Enemy troops are pouring into the city, we've been cut off!"_ Kell shouted aggressively through the din of battle.

"Kassad set an ambush! We are under attack from the rear. Hold position, I'll make my way to you."

_"Well hurry up!"_ Kell's command was punctuated by the bark of his sniper rifle.

Hassan placed the radio back to his belt and shouldered his rifle. He still had to deal with the enemy BTR, and he had no heavy weaponry. The APC they were taking cover behind rocked back slightly as a grenade exploded on the other side, causing Hassan to reflexively flinch. He glanced around the battlefield, hoping to find a solution. But without his command and control systems he had no idea what was happening with the rest of his army.

All that he could see were other APCs, many having been destroyed, but a few were able to turn their heavy machine guns on the Attack Bikes that continued to harass the Loyalist forces. A pitched battle between Hassan's soldiers and Kassad's mercenaries raged all around, staining the golden sands red.

The battle was going poorly for the Loyalists. He needed to get a hold of one of his tank commanders and get them to help deal with Kassad's forces. He went to reach for his radio again but another grenade explosion caused him to stumble a couple steps. The others were likewise thrown off balance by the near miss, and it became abundantly clear that they would need to move somewhere safer. Korvich apparently had the same idea as he said.

"Sir we need to move! There's another squad by that APC over there!"

Hassan followed his gaze and noted the aforementioned squad. A team of five men were similarly pinned down by an enemy BTR, but three of them were busy trying to set up a mortar. Hassan nodded to himself.

"Good eye Sergeant. You three stay here and provide cover. The rest are with me. Let's go!"

The three soldiers seemed hesitant, but only for a moment, before they stood up and opened fire on the enemy. Hassan, Korvich and the two others then bolted out from cover and ran across the torn up field. They were left mostly unmolested as they ran, as the enemies' focus was on the brave brothers that Hassan had left behind.

Hassan and the others had almost reached the safety of the APC when one of the two soldiers collapsed, riddled with holes. Hassan didn't stop to look, he kept running until he got behind cover, narrowly missing a burst of high calibre rounds.

Hassan took a moment to catch his breath before turning to a man who wore the markings of a confessor. The man bowed to him as he rested his M16 on his shoulder.

"Commander, good to see you are still alive. Kane must be watching over us."

"Greetings brother. What's the status of that mortar?"

"Ready to fire, sir."

"Korvich, provide them with targets, focus on the BTRs!"

Korvich nodded and went to work with the mortar team. The Confessor then took the others and continued to trade fire with the enemy. Hassan gripped his radio and began to shout into it, hoping to turn this disaster around.

"All armour companies this is Hierarch Actual! We have been engaged in the rear by a large column of enemy APCs and Attack Bikes! Any armour units respond!" Hassan was greeted by static for a moment before someone responded.

_"Hierarch Actual, this is Anubis 3-5. Enemy Scorpion and T-80 tank companies have engaged us. We have suffered light casualties."_ The voice was gruff and strained from yelling but still distinctly female.

"Anubis 3-5, can you divert any units to assist us?" Hassan waited as the woman issued a few commands to her tank crews.

_"Affirmative Hierarch Actual. Diverting four Scorpions and two Marauders. Call signs are Anubis 4-1, 4-2, 4-4, and 4-5, as well as Canaan 2-1 and 2-2."_ The woman finished rattling off, then quickly barked out another command to her crew.

"Affirmative. Thanks Anubis!" Hassan then made another call on his radio. "Kell do you copy? What's your status?"

_"Fucking traitors are everywhere! I'm pinned down and can't move. Where the fuck are you?"_ Kell sounded more angry than normal as he attempted to shout over the staccato of gunfire.

"We have our own problems here! I'm getting to you as fast as I can."

_"Well make it faster!"_ Kell's sniper rifle gave a loud bark before the assassin cut the link.

Hassan grumbled to himself and returned his focus to the battle at hand. The mortars had managed to destroy both BTRs that had been harassing them, including the original one that had first engaged Hassan. Infantry still tried to rush their position, but Korvich and the others kept them firmly at bay. Hassan could see that most of Kassad's Attack Bikes had been wiped out, but the BTRs still remained a clear threat. A quick glance around revealed his forces were still spread apart and disorganized. He quickly ordered his infantry companies to rally together in order to put up a better defence.

Hassan picked up his rifle and fired a few random bursts in the direction of the enemy. He had no intention of actually hitting anyone, but he managed to put a bullet through a mercenary's leg, causing him to fall to the ground screaming in pain. Hassan aimed down his weapons sights and was about to finish the merc off, when something else caught his eye. Two BTRs were now making their way towards Hassan and his men. They showed no signs of stopping and looked as though there going to simply run them over. The mortars were falling too far behind them and exploded harmlessly. Hassan began to grow panicked until one of the BTRs took a tank shell straight through the troop compartment, and black smoke and tortured screams began pouring out from the jagged hole.

Hassan's reinforcements had arrived and were quickly ripping into the enemy BTRs. The vehicles were not equipped to deal with heavy armor, and without the Attack Bikes the enemy had no effective anti-tank weapons. Hassan quickly ordered the mortar team to shift focus to the clusters of infantry that were still engaged with his own men. But the battle had very clearly turned against Kassad. Hassan breathed a sigh of relief as the enemy BTRs were pushed back, giving him the time to quickly reorganize his forces. He ordered his infantry and whatever APCs he had left to join with the armour and push into the city. He also sent scouts to determine the status of the artillery, which turned out to be pointless as all the guns had been utterly destroyed.

It took almost fifteen minutes before Kassad's forces had been completely driven off and the Loyalist army was back on track to assaulting the base. Hassan, along with Korvich and the others, climbed onto the back of one the Marauders. Driving past the twisted remains of Scorpion tanks from both sides, Hassan spotted the rest of his forces engaged with enemy troops hiding in the buildings lining the outer limits of the city.

Buildings were engulfed in flames as tanks destroyed fortified positions. Infantry tried to rush forward and overtake hastily erected barricades in an attempt to break into the city streets. Somewhere beyond the chaos was Kell and his men, and farther away was the first of Kassad's bases.

The Marauder tank slowly crawled to a halt to allow Hassan and the others to jump off, before moving to join the battle. Hassan then quickly gathered three more squads. With his task force assembled, Hassan went to work laying out his plan; while the army pushed into the city, they would navigate their way through and find Jarmen Kell.

The four squads of infantry made their way into the outskirts of Cairo, following behind the main push. They stepped over rubble and ruined streets as the fighting grew fierce and desperate for both sides. Hassan clenched his fists as he noted the heaps of dead soldiers, some in the red of Hassan's men, others in the burgundy of Kassad's, but all wore the scorpion's tail of the Brotherhood. Brother killing brother, it just wasn't right. He pushed those thoughts aside as the sounds of gunfire and explosions grew closer. He needed to find Kell and regain control over the situation.

They skirted behind the Loyalist forces steadily moving forward, careful to avoid direct confrontation. Hassan was trying to follow the streets to Kell's last reported location; he could only pray at this point the man was still alive. They turned down a smaller side street that had avoided being destroyed in the fighting. Hassan urged his men to move faster, and almost bumped into a squad of enemy combatants. The mercenaries had come from a side alley and were clearly trying to flank around the Nod forces.

It took Hassan another moment to realize that all five men were armed with flamethrowers. His eyes went wide as he tried to bring his weapon up, but the enemy reacted faster. For a moment, Hassan thought he was going to die an agonizing death until he heard the familiar bark of a sniper rifle. The lead soldier fell face forward to the ground with a massive gaping hole in the back of his head. A second shot caught another soldier's fuel tanks and caused them to ignite.

Hassan was blown back onto his ass from the force of the explosion. The remaining flame troopers were all killed in the blast, leaving burning corpses in their wake. Hassan quickly picked himself up and brushed the ashes off his arms. One of Kell's pathfinders then emerged from a building farther down the street and waved them forward.

Hassan and his men quickly made their way inside the small house. They came into a small living room where the pathfinders had barricaded themselves. Furniture had been overturned, and bullet casings littered the floor. Four men looked exhausted from the desperate fighting, and Hassan noted two men propped up against a far wall covered in bandages and hastily made leg stints. Hassan left Korvich and the others to help secure the building in case more enemy mercs came by. He then made his way upstairs to the master bedroom where Kell had established his snipers nest. It commanded a good view of Kassad's base.

The enemy compound was a flurry of activity, as even without the aid of a sniper's scope, Hassan could see entire companies of mercenary soldiers preparing to defend the base. More BTR-80s and Scorpion tanks were lining up, and a few left the base and made their way to the front, but most stayed back. He also spotted four Stinger sites that protected the base arrayed in all four corners. Kell had been staring down his scope, studying the enemy. He finally placed the rifle down and turned to Hassan and gave an annoyed snort.

"Took you long enough."

Hassan simply rolled his eyes and continued to survey the enemy forces.

"Any sign of reinforcements coming from the other side of the river?" Hassan asked.

"No, my scouts haven't reported any movement from the second base. Yet."

"Then we best move quickly. We need to secure the bridge before they overwhelm us. Can you take out those stinger sites from here?"

"No. But I know where I can." Kell pointed out the window towards a tall tower a few blocks away.

"Then let's get going."

Hassan and Kell joined the others in the living room. Along with Kell's pathfinders, the total number now equaled more than thirty men. That would make it harder to move around unseen, especially since they would be heading into a part of the city firmly held by Kassad. Regardless, Hassan gave the order to move out, and the large task force made its way down the winding side streets and alleys, listening as the sound of fighting now grew distant.

They moved through the streets unhindered for almost twenty minutes, before they finally came into contact with someone. A Technical swerved around an intersection and screeched to a halt when they spotted Hassan's men. The gunner had thankfully had his weapon facing the opposite direction, so in the time it took him to swivel around Hassan and his men were able to get into cover. The gunner opened fire on the empty street, ripping up the pavement. Several of Hassan's troops emerged from cover to fire on the Technical. Their bullets pinged harmlessly off the light armour, and they were forced back into cover as the gunner raked his weapon back and forth across the buildings they were hiding behind. Soon after another noise could be heard. It sounded like dozens of angry voices clamoring over each other to be heard.

Hassan risked peaking around cover to see what the source of the shouting was. He could feel himself grow pale as he spotted a literal mob of people coming up behind the Technical. Clad in simple camouflaged fatigues or even plain civilian clothing, it was clear they weren't trained soldiers or mercenaries but instead, were the Cairo militia. Kassad was in no way a holy man, so he must have bribed the militia leaders in order to utilize the fanatical masses. The militia quickly took up positions behind the Technical or in the alleys in a poor imitation of proper cover. Most fired randomly down the street, even though there weren't any viable targets. However it did fill the street with so much fire that it was almost impossible for Hassan's troops to fight back.

Hassan brought up his SCAR-H and aimed at a militiaman, and through his scope he could see the man was practically frothing at the mouth, murder gleaming in his eyes. Hassan took a deep breath then fired a short burst that eviscerated half of the man's face. Hassan then jumped back deeper into the alley as bullets tore apart the corner of the building. He breathed heavily but stopped when he heard a sound coming from across the street. It was…singing? He looked over to see the Confessor had begun singing a Brotherhood battle hymn, and somehow managed to project his voice over the deafening sound of gunfire. It seemed to inspire the men, and emboldened them enough to risk opening fire on the enemy. Many Nod soldiers fell from the sheer amount of bullets flying through the air, but almost three times as many militia died for it.

Hassan fired several bursts down the contested street, killing or wounding several militiamen. Across the street, Korvich and two others stepped out away from cover and took aim at the Technical. The gunner noted them and quickly swiveled his machine gun towards them, but then Hassan stepped out and held down on the trigger, sending a wild volley of bullets towards him. The sporadic bullets missed completely, but it did achieve the goal of forcing the gunner to duck down and wait until Hassan had run out of ammo before turning his weapon on him. Hassan then ducked back into the alley as the heavy machine gun tore chunks of concrete off the building. Hassan fumbled with a new magazine as the heavy calibre rounds kept coming, until they abruptly stopped. Hassan looked back out into the street to find the gunner hanging limply over the side of the Technical, and the front windshield was completely shattered. Militiamen were running back the way they had come, as Hassan's men fired at their backs but otherwise made no moves to pursue.

Hassan walked out into the street and ordered his forces to gather around him. Men emerged from alleys and the buildings lining the street. Of the thirty some odd troops he had, eighteen remained, still a sizable strike team. Jarmen Kell emerged from one of the buildings and walked over to the assembled troops, his large sniper rifle strapped to his back. Kell opened his mouth to speak but Hassan stopped him with a hand gesture. He ignored the indignant glare he received and instead began talking into his radio.

"All units this is Hierarch Actual. Be advised, we have moved into the city and met hostile militia. We are currently moving to flank the enemy base, On my signal commence the attack."

Hassan waited a moment as a string of affirmatives came in from his battalion commanders. Several reported stiff enemy resistance near the bridge, while others reported difficulty moving through streets clogged with militia. None however reported any movement from Kassad's main base across the river. Had he bet everything on the initial ambush? Possibly, Kassad was no strategist.

"We need to keep moving." Kell said in a low growl.

Hassan merely nodded and gave the order to push onward. They picked their way over the dead bodies and moved more cautiously, wary of another attack. In what should have taken them less than ten minutes, it actually took them close to thirty to reach the tower. By that time Hassan's army had nearly encircled the base, and the latest reports indicated that most of his armour was engaged with emplaced defences around the bridge. Without a proper view of what was going on, Hassan had decided to call back his forces from the bridge and focus instead on taking the base. The original plan had called to simply shell it with artillery, but now he decided it would be better used to safeguard their flank from anymore attacks from the Cairo militia.

Hassan's men took up positions around the tower, under the command of the Confessor whose name he discovered was Joseph. Hassan and Kell then bounded up the long flight of stairs to the top. The long climb left Hassan gasping for air, but Kell didn't seem even remotely fazed. Within seconds Kell had set up his sniper rifle, and had laid out extra magazines so he could quickly grab them. As Kell worked, Hassan looked out the window from over his shoulder and realized he finally had a decent view of the battlefield.

Pillars of smoke rose up all over the outskirts of the city and the field just beyond. He could see flashes from explosions ranging from the base perimeter all the way to the bridge that connected the city to the hills just beyond. If he squinted his eyes he could almost make out shapes moving on the other side, but none made any attempt to cross the bridge. As Kell prepared himself, Hassan began coordinating more closely with his forces, no longer completely in the dark. It still wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. As he began issuing orders to his army, Kell opened fire with his sniper rifle, the sound reverberated in the small space of the lookout.

Far away, in Kassad's base, men dropped as Kell picked them off with frightening efficiency. It was hard to tell from this distance, but Hassan could see the tiny shapes of people running to and from the four Stinger sites. Some fleeing from Kell, others trying to replace the men he had just killed. It was fascinating to watch the Nod assassin at work, reloading his weapon while never taking his eyes off the scope. After five minutes of raining death upon Kassad's men, Kell finally spoke.

"Three of the Stinger sites are neutralized. I can't get a clear shot on the far one."

"Well done Kell." Hassan called into his radio. "All units press the attack! Enemy defences are disabled. Show no mercy to these heretics!"

Hassan and Kell stood and watched the Loyalist army surge through the streets of Cairo like a tidal wave. They crashed upon the small base and swept away the remaining forces. Scorpion tanks and BTRs were destroyed in seconds as Hassan's own Scorpions and Marauders rolled through. And while he couldn't see the infantry fight, he could hear their reports and cries over the radio.

The battle quickly ended, signaled by thick flames rising from the war factory and two of the barracks, while his men reported that the command building had been left largely intact. The first stage of the battle had concluded, the outer city now belonged to him. But there was still a lot of work to be done.

… … …

In all it took two hours to fully secure the base, and repel an attack from the militia that ended in a total slaughter for the enemy. Hassan had ordered his forces to reinforce the defences to prevent his army from being flanked from the city proper. In that time Kassad still had not made any move, with his forces staying on the other side of the bridge. Hassan had moved his own forces to secure their side, and now a standoff had occurred with the two forces staring each other down. He knew that he would have to attack soon, least Kassad try to flee. But Hassan was still waiting on reinforcements to arrive.

He had also deployed forces deeper into the city to root out the militia and secure key locations. Things were going well despite the losses in the initial ambush. However it was still taking too long, and it caused Hassan a great deal of anxiety. He drummed his fingers on the desk of the former base commander, a weasel of a man who now hung from a streetlight. Kell meanwhile was lounging on a couch set off to one side, seemingly asleep. Hassan glared at the man while he struggled with his own thoughts. How was Juhziz doing back in Kazakhstan? Had Kassad managed to escape? And would the Brotherhood even survive the coming months with all this infighting? Hassan wrestled with these questions to the point that he had become lost in his own mind, thus causing him to jump when someone spoke to him over the radio.

_"Commander Hassan? I thought you'd like to know that Colonel Edwin's men have just arrived."_ One of Hassan's aides reported.

Hassan got up from the desk and moved towards Kell, lightly kicking him in the leg. The man shot up and grumbled something under his breath. Hassan just motioned for him to follow and both men made their way through the command centre and back outside. The base was largely empty now, minus a token defence force, as his army was divided between the bridge and the city. Hassan turned his gaze south, from where his army had originally attacked from, and spotted several Mi-8 helicopters making their way towards them. The helicopters hovered over the base for a few minutes before finally descending and unloading their passengers. Nod soldiers in full combat gear jogged out of the transports and began to rally around one of the barracks that Hassan's men had secured. He couldn't help but looked shocked as he recognized these men as belonging to Vega's Cartel.

A short but muscular man was the last to leave the lead helicopter. He spotted Hassan and walked over to him, before stopping short and offering a salute.

"Colonel Edwin reporting for duty sir! My men and I are ready to serve." Edwin's voice boomed out, the man looked like he should be a drill sergeant rather than a field officer.

"Colonel, good to have you. I'll be honest, I'm shocked to see Vega's…men here." Hassan tried to hide his disdain for the Cartel soldiers; no doubt they were just a bunch of convicts and drug addicts.

"With General Oslo dead, the good Mr. Vega graciously offered his support to General Juhziz's cause. They're a rough bunch, but good soldiers. Don't worry sir, I'll keep them in line."

Hassan nodded his head, then gave the Colonel his orders and sent the new arrivals off. With the additional troops, he would have enough to brute force his way to Kassad's palace. He turned to Kell, who was still eyeing the Cartel troops, and said.

"It's time we finish this. I want you to lead the assault while I direct things from here."

"Going to sit all comfy while I do all the work?" Kell said this with amusement, rather than his typical anger.

"Of course. Oh and Kell? Keep Kassad alive. I want to deal with him personally."

Kell gave a mock salute and then made his way towards a captured BTR, where the rest of his pathfinders were waiting. Hassan then returned to the command centre and made his way to the control room. It was a standard command and control centre, like the countless ones used by Nod and GDI. Inside, officers worked away to help coordinate his forces as they were spread across Cairo. He took position at the head of the room where he would command the battle.

He looked over several screens, each displaying different views from his forces. Some were from cameras mounted to Scorpion tanks, while others were from soldiers' helmet cams. Half displayed his troops moving through the city streets, sometimes engaging with the militia, while the other half showed his men staring across the bridge at the turrets and waiting enemy tanks. As soon as he gave the order, all hell would break loose once again. He offered a quick prayer, then gave the order.

"All forces attack!"

His tank columns surged forward across the wide bridge, and immediately came under fire from the emplaced turrets. The lead row of Marauders returned fire, scoring direct hits and destroying the turrets outright. Kassad's defending force of T-80 tanks then began trading volleys with Loyalist Scorpions. Anytime the enemy missed, it would take large chunks out of the bridge and send them falling into the water below.

_"Hierarch Actual this is Anubis 3-5! Enemy has set up dragon's teeth at the edge of the bridge. We can't move any further!"_

Hassan gritted his teeth. It was clear now that Kassad was delaying them, no doubt in the hopes of escaping. He could not let that happen. He turned to one of his communications officers and barked out an order.

"Tell Confessor Joseph to double time it to the airport! We need to cut off any avenues of escape."

"Yes sir!"

Hassan returned to the battle at hand. The enemy defences were now belching black smoke into the cloudless sky. Sizable pieces of the bridge were missing, and coupled with the ruined tanks, it created an impasse for any forces behind them. He would have to move engineer crews to clear the bridge.

Seeing that Hassan's men were well and truly stuck, the surviving T-80s beat a hasty retreat into the foothills where the second base was located.

"Get our engineers over there ASAP so they can clear the way. And what's the ETA on Saul's forces?"

"Engineers are on their way sir!"

"He estimates another twenty minutes sir!"

Hassan watched everything unfold with barely contained impatience. Everything seemed to be going too slowly. He should be by Juhziz's side, helping him fight GDI, not here having to fight his own brothers. Damn Kassad and his arrogance!

It was nearly twenty minutes before a space barely large enough for a single tank was cleared.

_"Hierarch Actual do you copy?" Anubis 3-5 is requesting permission to advance, over?"_ The tank commander sounded impatient, matching Hassan's own mood.

He watched the engineers begin working on clearing out the next Dragon tooth, contemplating his next move. If he let the tanks move now, they would get bottlenecked and be open to ambush. Plus it would take longer to get everyone through. But would it be longer than waiting for all the barricades to be removed?

"Anubis 3-5 you have permission to advance. All units roll forward."

He watched the lead Scorpion tank roll through the opening and push past burning debris. They left the outskirts of the city and once more moved into the desert. The hills loomed high above on one side, with the river running far below them on the other. Hassan watched as Kell's BTR sneaked its way into the line of waiting tanks and moved across the bridge. It quickly sped up to catch up with Anubis 3-5, and Hassan cursed Kell's brashness.

"Sir! I've spotted something, coming out of the Tiberium field!"

Hassan rushed over to the officer's station and peered at the screen. There was a small Tib' field in a small depression in the hills. The unique radiation from the holy crystals was playing havoc with their imaging systems. But after a moment Hassan could see what had the officer so concerned. Emerging from the Tiberium were four GDI Merkava tanks. Their treads crushed the crystals beneath them as they sprung forward like a lion on the hunt. One of the tanks spotted Kell's BTR and fired, scoring a direct hit.

Hassan could only watch in vain as the APC flipped over from the impact. Cold fear raced through him as he turned to his officers.

"Get reinforcements over to Kell's position! Now!"

… … …

Korvich laid on his back, staring up at the blue sky as a single tiny puff of a cloud meandered through. He fixated on that cloud as he slowly checked over his body. He knew he wasn't dead, it was too hot and everything hurt, but thankfully nothing appeared to be broken. He quickly got up and grabbed his rifle from the ground nearby and quickly glanced around. The front of the BTR was gone, and its occupants had been flung out by the concussive force. Miraculously no one had been killed, minus the driver. But that would quickly change if he didn't find cover.

He ducked behind a jagged piece of metal jutting out from the sand. Two other men were hiding behind it as well, trading fire with enemy soldiers farther off. Korvich instantly recognized one as the infamous assassin, Jarmen Kell. He fired his sniper rifle almost non-stop, littering the sand with spent casings. The other man was on of Kell's pathfinders, a soldier in light fatigues and armed with a designated marksman rifle.

"What's the situation sir?" Korvich asked Kell. He wasn't exactly sure of the man's place in the Nod hierarchy, so he decided to play it safe and assume him to be an officer.

"What does it look like? We're getting fucked. Now shut up and shoot back!"

Kell's angered and abrasive nature reminded Korvich a lot of his old sergeant, Sergeant Higgs. Only instead of the fatherly concern Higgs had hidden underneath, Kell just had more anger. He decided not to further anger the man rumored to have killed GDI and Nod targets without discretion. He shouldered his rifle and fired at an advancing squad of enemy mercs. He managed to wound two of them, but Kell killed the others with well-placed sniper shots. Korvich simply shifted aim and added his fire with the pathfinder, quickly taking down another merc squad.

All around them the Nod tanks struggled to make any progress as the four Merkava tanks tore through them. The GDI logo had been replaced with the sigil of the Brotherhood, and coated in a dark burgundy coloring. One of the tanks rolled past directly in front of them, Korvich pressed himself against the metal cover and hoped they hadn't been spotted. Unfortunately the pathfinder was too slow, and a merc manning the turret mounted machine gun spotted him. The pathfinder was literally sawed in two, his entrails spilling onto the sand. The tank just rolled past and fired at a Marauder tank, destroying it with a single shell.

Kell emerged from cover and aimed his sniper rifle. He lost loose a string of profanities as he fired a single shot. The turret gunner immediately went limp and hung loosely over his machine gun. The other occupants of the tank didn't seem to notice, as they hunted for more targets. A Scorpion tank found itself as the next target. It fired at the Merkava, but the shell bounced off the front armour. The enemy tank fired back, destroying the right side treads of the Scorpion, rendering it immobile. Fire quickly began to lick at the edges of the tank.

The Scorpion's turret rotated slightly, but it never fired. The Merkava seemed satisfied that the tank was effectively dead and began to move off. Korvich knew they needed to stop that tank and almost immediately formed a stupid and certainly suicidal plan. He turned to Kell, who was regarding the whole battle with a disgusted glare.

"Give me covering fire. I'm going to take out that tank." Korvich said.

Kell looked at him as if though he had just grown two extra heads.

"How do you plan on doing that?" He asked with a tone that suggested he thought Korvich was stupid, and maybe he was.

"I'll get on top and drop a couple grenades inside. I just need you to cover me."

"It's your funeral." Kell shouldered his sniper rifle and indicated that he was ready.

Korvich took a deep breath then scanned the battlefield. The tank was still close by, searching for new victims. A squad of mercs had wandered past them, seemingly unaware that they were there. Korvich quickly fired three burst, catching them unawares. Two went down, dead before they hit the ground, while a third fell clutching his ruined leg. Kell fired two quick shots and killed the two remaining soldiers, and Korvich fired one more burst to finish off the wounded man.

He then darted out from cover and ran straight for the tank. With the gunner dead, there shouldn't have been any resistance to him mounting the tank. That was until someone emerged from the very hatch Korvich had been planning to drop a grenade down. The man checked over his dead comrade before he spotted Korvich. The man quickly grabbed for a SMG and aimed it at Korvich, whose mad dash meant he wouldn't be able to bring his own weapon up in time. The man's head snapped back violently and a fountain of blood erupted from a bullet hole in his forehead. The man fell back inside the tank just as Korvich jumped onto the tank and climbed up. He reached the hatch and noticed another merc inside, Korvich smiled and waved as he dropped two grenades inside, then quickly scrambled back off the tank.

Moments later the grenades went off with a muffled bang, and the Merkava kept moving for several moments before it eventually came to a stop. With the tank eliminated, the Loyalist forces gained the advantage. Two Scorpions ganged up on one of the other Merkavas and quickly destroyed it. More Loyalist tanks and APCs entered the fray, and quickly began to overwhelm the enemy forces. Emboldened by the arrival of reinforcements, Korvich and Kell made their way across the battlefield towards friendly lines. As they did the enemy base came into view.

It was a small base consisting of another command centre and two barracks, as well as a war factory and a Tiberium refinery, all powered by a single power plant. However the main feature of the base was the large tunnel that led into the hillside, large enough to fit two tanks side by side. More smaller tunnels also dug into the hills, the entrances defended by Stinger sites and foxholes. There were even concrete pillboxes built into the hillside, creating the image of an imposing fortress. On top of the hills Korvich spotted SAM sites, meaning the only way to Kassad's palace was through those tunnels.

The battle had turned from a pitched and desperate fight, to a one sided slaughter. Enemy mercenaries were either mowed down or fell to their knees in surrender. The few remaining T-80 tanks were turned into burning scrap, and the Loyalist Scorpions began pounding away on the enemy structure. Massive fires erupted from the power plant, and thick black-green smoke belched out from the refinery as the tanks tore into them indiscriminately.

Korvich had allowed himself to grow lax, thinking that the battle was over. But he would be proven wrong as five Rocket Buggies emerged from the tunnel, followed closely by several Bradley light tanks. The Rocket Buggies unleashed a deadly salvo of rockets that filled the air with thick contrails. Nod tanks erupted into flames as the rockets struck home. Whatever had survived the initial volley was then swarmed by the light tanks. On their own the Bradleys would have been horribly outmatched, even by a single Scorpion, but in a large pack as they were, they proved to be more than effective.

Korvich and Kell took cover behind the Merkava that Korvich had neutralized. Kell immediately began firing his sniper rifle as swarms of infantry emerged from smaller tunnels. Korvich brought up his rifle and began firing long, sporadic bursts, the enemy providing him plenty of targets. The Nod armour quickly rallied from their initial shock and began fighting back, easily disposing of the light tanks. However the Rocket Buggies were moving around faster than any tank could hit, stopping only long enough to fire off another volley of rockets. Korvich had no brilliant plan to help this time, so he decided to stay put and try to kill as many mercs as he could before they overran him.

There seemed to be no end to the amount of heretic soldiers pouring out from the tunnels. Korvich reloaded his weapon only to find he had a single magazine left; he would run out of bullets before the enemy ran out of soldiers. He began to pick his targets more carefully, and fired in shorter bursts. Sometimes he would only manage to wound an enemy but forced himself to switch targets. All the while Kell had remained beside him, easily picking off targets. Ammo didn't appear to be an issue for him and Korvich watched as a merc's arm was blown clean off by a shot from Kell's rifle. The man went down screaming as his compatriots were covered with blood. Korvich fired two quick bursts, killing both men as they stopped to try and wipe the blood off.

The stream of enemy troops finally stopped as the last few squads trickled out, an entire company of mercenary soldiers having been thrown at the Nod force. Unfortunately, even though he could see a definite finite number to the enemy now, he still was at risk of running out of ammo. The mercs also finally took note of Kell's position, and three squads were carefully making their way towards them. Korvich loaded his final magazine. Maybe he could just focus on the ones Kell didn't kill. That plan died when Kell yelled out a string of curses as he dropped his sniper rifle and pulled up his sidearm. A cold sense of dread went down Korvich's spine, despite the hot desert heat. He had experienced this dread only once before, during the battle of Cape Town, back during the Tiberium War.

The enemy mercs continued to advance on them, dipping and weaving between cover. Kell and Korvich only managed to gather a few kills before the enemy was on top of them. Korvich switched his grip on his rifle and held it like a club, swinging it at a merc who decided to get too close. There was a sickening crunch as the butt of the rifle connected with the man's head. Korvich pulled back, ready to take a swing at the next target, but it was no use. They were both surrounded and the enemy had their weapons trained on them. One of the mercs had a cocksure grin on his face, he opened his mouth to gloat, but blood gurgled forth instead. During the chaos of the fight, no one seemed to have noticed the first shotgun blast, but everyone heard the second blast that tore open another merc's stomach.

The others mercs turned to face the new threat, only to be quickly cut down by the new arrivals. Nod Cartel soldiers swarmed into the area, shotguns and SMGs at the ready. They fought with a crazed zeal not born from religion, but more likely due to a concoction of drugs and combat stimulants. It resulted in frightening brutality and savagery. The Cartel soldiers would get in as close as they could before ripping into the enemy mercs. Some would even forgo their own safety and try to use their rifles as melee weapons. They cleaved through the mercs, but the enemy was quick to recover and began to butcher the borderline insane troops. However during the chaos Korvich managed to grab a discarded M16 rifle and a couple magazines. He lost sight of Kell, but: he focused on the need to find cover.

Korvich eventually found refuge behind an abandoned Tib' harvester. He turned to find a target, but couldn't due to the Cartel soldiers getting in the way. He cursed their stupidity and decided to fire anyways, friendly fire be damned. He fired two quick bursts and managed to kill two enemy mercs and wounded a friendly soldier. Korvich took aim at another mercenary and was about to pull the trigger, when the man's head violently jerked to one side, causing him to collapse. Korvich looked around and spotted Kell standing behind a large rock, sidearm pointed in his direction. Korvich returned his attention to the chaos in front of him, though noted it was starting to die down as the Cartel troops were beginning to win the fight. Korvich took aim at two mercs who were frantically trying to reload their LMGs. He fired a prolonged burst and riddled one merc's chest full of lead while the second he only clipped in the shoulder. The second merc jumped into cover behind a sand dune, only to emerge on the other side and send a torrent of bullets towards Korvich.

The bullets began pinging off the heavy armour of the harvester. Korvich ducked down reflexively as the merc continued to barrage his position. The bark of a powerful sniper rifle cut over the metallic rain, then everything abruptly went quiet. Korvich peaked around to find all of Kassad's mercenaries had been killed. The Cartel soldiers seemed to stumble around drunk, no doubt coming off of their combat high. Korvich made his way up to Kell so he could see how the rest of the battle had went.

The entire base was a smouldering mess. The command building had collapsed in on itself, while flames ate away at the other structures. Thick smoke mixed with toxic fumes billowed out from the ruined refinery, which the wind carried towards the city, and would no doubt kill dozens of people with Tib' sickness. The field was now littered with ruined vehicles from both sides. Korvich breathed heavily. The fighting had stopped for now, although he knew it flare up shortly enough.

The quiet that had settled over the battlefield was broken by the sound of helicopter blades. Korvich looked across the river to see two Mi-8s approaching. The helicopters flew above the Nod forces and positioned themselves above the cliffs. A split second later a missile raced up from somewhere on top of the cliff and struck one Mi-8 dead center, causing it to practically disintegrate. The second helicopter attempted to turn tail and run, but another rocket streaked up and clipped its tail, sending it spinning and crashing somewhere out of sight. The sight of the helicopters destruction only proved the grim truth; the Nod forces would have to fight their way through the tunnels. It was not a pleasant prospect, as it could mean hours of hellish fighting.

The Nod tanks began to organize themselves into neat rows, with Marauders at the front. Infantry began to gather into small platoons and waited behind the tanks. Curious as to what was happening, Korvich turned to Kell, who had a radio pressed to his ear. Upon seeing Korvich's questioning gaze, he placed the radio on his belt then spat on the ground.

"Commander Hassan is sending someone to help clear out the tunnels. Time is of the essence so we can't afford to be bogged down." Kell's usual angered tone was mixed with disgust.

"Who is he sending?" It must have been someone truly vile if it caused Kell to be upset.

"Colonel Saul." Kell spat again upon saying the name.

Korvich gave a low whistle. Colonel Saul, better known as the Mad Priest, was once a famous tank commander during the Battle of Cape Town. Following Kane's death, Saul had gone and made himself an independent warlord. His little fiefdom didn't last long however, as he quickly pledged loyalty to Juhziz upon seeing GDI aggressively retake South Africa. The man was infamous for being eccentric and fanatic, but it still didn't quite explain Kell's obvious disdain for the man. Korvich knew he wouldn't get the answer from the assassin, so he opted to rummage through the dead mercs gear and gather as much ammo as he could.

It was little over five minutes later when a convoy of vehicles made its way to the waiting Nod forces. Korvich looked on with awe as he watched the convoy roll in. Eight Scorpion tanks and two Flame tanks picked their way through the debris field. The sun reflected harshly off the polished metal fuel canisters on the Flame tanks, but that wasn't what had caught Korvich's eye. A Marauder tank led the convoy, although it had been painted like the inside of a church. Various murals depicting Kane and the arrival of Tiberium covered the entire tank, while prayer alters adorned with candles and purity seals had somehow been secured to the chassis. Even more impressive then the garish paint job, was the heavily customized double barreled turret. Saul had clearly taken some inspiration from GDI's Mammoth tanks.

Saul's Marauder tank pulled off to the side and stopped, while the other vehicles moved to the front of the gathered Nod armour, with the Flame tanks taking point. Kell began walking down towards Saul as the man climbed out from the primary hatch, and Korvich decided to follow.

Saul was standing by the front end of the right side tread, along with several other Nod officers. They were in the midst of discussing something when Saul turned to face Kell, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"Ah! If it isn't the famous Jarmen Kell! Nod's favourite assassin, and the very man who tried to kill me."

Korvich gave a scrupulous look towards Kell. That would explain the disdain. Kell's face contorted in anger and he spat at Saul's boots, but the man's smile never wavered.

"You survived by dumb luck." Kell hissed.

"What you call luck, I call divine intervention by God. Anyways it's all in the past. We work for the same cause now." Saul turned away from Kell, and addressed the gathered officers. "We now know that Kassad's palace is well defended from the air. Our only path forward is through the tunnel. Thankfully Commander Hassan has provided us a solution. We shall clear out the vermin with Kane's holy fire!"

While the officers nodded in agreement, Kell just remained brooding as the battle plan was laid out. Korvich technically wasn't privy to the discussion, however his unit had been scattered at the start of the battle, and no one seemed bothered by his presence.

"It is important we take the Prince alive. Our Commander demands it. Anything else?"

Saul looked to each man, before lingering on Kell for a few moments. When no one said anything, the Mad Priest clapped his hands and said. "Very well! Let us bring forth God's judgement!"

The officers scattered as they returned to their respective units. Korvich was about to follow the man he recognized as his unit commander, but was stopped by Kell. The assassin pushed him towards Saul's tank, just as the Colonel began climbing back up.

"You come with me. We're going with the good Colonel: I want to be sure that I am the first one to get Kassad."

"But why me?" Korvich asked a bit hesitantly.

"Because you're competent. Something of a rarity with this army."

Both men climbed up the tank, careful not to knock over the candles or purity seals. They took position on the back of the tank, which was covered with golden icons from both the Brotherhood and Christian scriptures. Korvich had to wonder why Saul would take such a vehicle into battle, when it clearly would serve better as some show piece outside a temple.

He stopped studying the intricate murals as the tank began to move. Up ahead the two Flame tanks drove up to the mouth of the tunnel, where they unleashed a stream of fire into wide passageway. They moved side by side as they slowly moved forward, the intense flames never stopping. The tanks moved just behind, giving the Flame tanks enough room in case they exploded. Infantry began donning gas masks or covering their faces with their shirts to help combat the heat and smoke that filtered back down the tunnel. Korvich followed suit and pulled out a head wrap and tied it around his face. As the Flame tanks moved deeper into the tunnel, the sound of the flamethrowers gave off a hellish sound as it reverberated off the walls. It was quickly overpowered by the sounds of people screaming in agony.

The Marauder tank passed through the entrance and into the long tunnel. The metal walls were scorched black by the heat. Korvich tried not to stare at the twisted and blackened corpses that were strewn throughout the tunnel. Instead he focused on the smaller foot tunnels and maintenance passages that snaked off from the main tunnel. Nod soldiers carefully checked them as they passed by, but Korvich doubted there was anyone left alive to try and ambush them.

The gradual slope of the tunnel began to grow sharper as light from outside filtered down. The Flame tanks disappeared from sight as they exited the tunnel, only for a torrent of fire to come rushing back down. Korvich and Kell pressed themselves down as far as they could, just as a wave of heat washed over them. Korvich thought he was going to be cooked alive, until the wave passed by. The tank had kept pushing through and eventually drove over the smoking remains of the Flame tanks. Korvich shielded his eyes as they were thrust back into the harsh desert light. As his vision slowly returned to normal, his mouth fell agape at what he saw.

The two bases before were nothing compared to the large complex arrayed before him. A command centre far larger than the last two sat in the heart of the base, surrounded by a communications building, and several barracks complete with training yards and officers' quarters. Warfactories lined in a neat row next to two power plants, and all of it defended by an array of Stinger sites and SAM launchers. Korvich shifted his gaze to a small man-made lake adjacent to the base. In the centre on a small island, was Kassad's palace, and much to Korvich's surprise and horror, it was defended by an Obelisk of Light. Kassad had gone all out on defences, sparing no expense it would seem.

Korvich's thoughts were broken as one of the tank's twin barrels fired, coring an enemy Scorpion tank. All hell broke loose around them as Nod tanks traded fire with Kassad's own armour. Anti-tank rockets flew out from a dozen Stinger sites, and more mercenaries began pouring out from the base. It quickly became almost impossible to tell which Scorpions were friendly and which weren't. The only real tell was which ones fired at the Loyalist Marauders, and which ones targeted the enemy T-80s. It was a bloody mess of a battle, and he did not look forward to being thrown into it.

The Marauder fired again, blowing the turret off of another Scorpion, before abruptly changing direction away from the base. Korvich looked around confused, before he realised they were heading straight for the palace, and the Obelisk. Saul's voice boomed out over Kell's radio.

_"Push for the palace! We must find the heretic! For Kane! For God! For glory!"_

The Marauder barreled towards the Obelisk, and showed no signs of slowing down. Korvich and Kell exchanged concerned looks as the horrifying sounds of the obelisk powering up filled the air.

"Uh maybe we should-"

Korvich never got to finish his statement as a bright lance of red light shot out from the tip of the Obelisk. It carved through the left side of the tank, turning the treads to melted slag. The tank came to an abrupt stop, throwing Korvich and Kell forward. Korvich landed hard against the turret with his right shoulder and pain coursed through his whole body. Before he could even pick himself up, Kell grabbed him by his good arm and shoved him off the tank. Korvich then landed hard again, this time on his back. He let out a loud yell of pain as he rolled onto his side. Kell jumped down beside him and tried to drag him to his feet, but Korvich was in too much pain to move. Kell began to yell but was cut off as the Obelisk fired again. The laser passed above the Marauder and destroyed a Scorpion tank a few feet away. For whatever reason, they were ignoring Saul's tank.

"We need to move!" Kell's shout sounded distant and muffled, as if he were standing far away even though he was practically yelling in Korvich's ear.

Korvich shakily got to his feet and began to limp away from the tank. Kell pushed him towards a rocky outcropping jutting out from the sand. They were barely halfway there when both men were blown of their feet. Korvich narrowly missed hitting his head off the rocks. He rolled onto his back, breathing heavily from taking such a beating. He managed to get his head up enough to see Saul's tank engulfed in flames, the immaculate murals and altars having been destroyed. The Obelisk hummed again before firing another lance of light, destroying another Nod tank. Korvich laid his head back down, unable to get up. He half expected to be turned to ash by the Obelisk's laser at any moment, but it never came.

He pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing through the pain as he did. The Obelisk had scored two more kills, leaving behind smoking slag piles. The Nod forces were still trying to push their way into the heretic base, but Kassad had clearly kept his best troops in reserve. Korvich began to wonder if they could win this battle, until Kell stood over him and offered a hand. Korvich took it, and with some effort, pulled himself to his feet. Before he could thank Kell, he shoved Korvich's M16 into his hands.

"Come on, we need you disable that weapon." Kell said mechanically.

"How? We don't have enough firepower to take it down."

"We get inside and cut the power."

Kell jogged off towards the Obelisk, not giving Korvich any time to argue. Gritting his teeth, he ran after the assassin, his rifle now feeling like it weight ten times heavier. Apparently the Obelisk did not consider two tiny humans to be any threat, because it never powered up its weapon. No one even stood to guard the door set into the Obelisk's base. Korvich shouldered his weapon as Kell opened the door, sidearm at the ready. Inside the small room was two ladders that led up the tower to the weapon in the tip. And an elevator that ran down to where the weapon drew power from the base's power plants. Both men crowded into the elevator and rode it down underground.

When they emerged they found themselves on a metal catwalk that spanned over a maze of conduits and tubes that ran further underground. A single technician manned a large terminal that controlled the weapon's various systems. Kell pressed the barrel of his pistol against the woman's head. She quickly held up her arms in surrender, and slowly turned to face them.

"Disable the weapon now, and I might consider not blowing your brains all over the wall." Kell said with a menacing growl.

"Okay, okay! I'm not about to die for some spoiled prince!"

The technician quickly typed away on the terminal, and within moments the Obelisk powered down. The faint humming fading into silence. The woman looked back and forth between Kell and Korvich, fear in her eyes. Before Kell could do anything drastic, Korvich pointed towards the elevator.

"Go, get out of here. Head towards the loyalist forces and surrender yourself. They will not harm a faithful sister."

"Oh thank you! Kane bless you!"

The woman hurried off to the elevator and rode it back up. Korvich ignored the holes Kell was trying to bore into his skull with his eyes and simply sat down on the catwalk, messaging his bruised arm. Kell shook his head and pulled out his radio, his voice echoed in the room now that there was no power thrumming around them.

"Hassan come in? We are ready to assault the palace…"

… … …

Hassan looked out the window of the Attack Buggy as they passed through the tunnel, thankful to be inside the vehicle. The walls were scorched, and the Buggy had to drive through several inches of soot and ash, and more than once had driven over a burnt body. A welcomed distraction came when his radio crackled to life, he quickly grabbed for it as someone began speaking.

_"Hierarch Actual, this is Leviticus Actual, reporting that Objective Gamma is secured. Repeat, Gamma is secured."_ Confessor Joseph reported.

"Excellent work Leviticus. Hold position there, I will send reinforcements when they become available."

_"Copy that Hierarch. There's something else. A GDI V-22 Osprey landed here sometime during the battle. It had deployed several squads of GDI special forces. We dealt with the infidels properly."_

Hassan was shocked for a moment. Why would GDI send special forces into Cairo? Were they after Kassad too?

"Excellent work brother. Keep an eye out for anymore of the fascists."

_"Wilco. Leviticus out."_

By the time they emerged from the tunnel, the sun had started its decent into the evening. The last of Kassad's based was in ruins, with thick smoke still rising up to block out the clear blue sky. The Buggy passed by ruined tanks and resting soldiers, and made its way to the palace in the center of the lake. A thin bridge had been built to connect the palace to the land, and a poorly maintained dirt road led to the base. Hassan's men stood guard at intervals along the bridge, with signs of intense fighting evident everywhere.

The Buggy finally pulled up to the front doors of the palace, well, where the front doors would be if they hadn't been blasted apart. Hassan stepped out and proceeded inside, coming into an opulent marble foyer. Expensive paintings and knickknacks lined the walls, though most of them had been either damaged or destroyed during the siege. Hassan tried to quell his anger at the sight of such gross vanity and made his way towards the marble staircase at the far end. More guards stood by, his forces having taken the palace only a few short minutes ago. Sergeants were shouting out orders, and the bodies of Kassad's mercenaries still littered the ground.

He passed through another hallway, this one lined by massive bedrooms on either side, each one larger than most apartments. His goal was the room at the very end, marked by ebony doors lined with gold. The doors were closed and two men stood by them: one was Kell, while the other he recognized as Sergeant Korvich.

"He still in there?" Hassan asked as he approached.

"Yes and he's not alone. There are other people in there too; two, maybe three others." Kell reported.

"Time to drag the rat out."

Korvich nodded to Kell, who then kicked down one of the ebony doors. Korvich then stormed inside the room, where Hassan could hear screaming and shouting. He followed Kell into a massive bedroom. The décor of the room made the rest of the palace look like a beggar's hovel, complete with a bed of satin and silk that could easily fit four or more people. On the bed were two beautiful women in transparent ropes. They huddled together in fear as Korvich aimed his rifle at them. He looked to Hassan with confusion, unclear as what to do with Kassad's whores.

Hassan ignored them for a moment as he scanned the room. A glass sliding door led out to a balcony that overlooked a large pool, and there were several divans situated around the room, some near a massive television, while others were by a granite fireplace. Hassan finally noticed a wooden door tucked behind two large display vases, filled with ancient Egyptian artifacts.

"Escort them out of here and get them to safety." Hassan directed his order to Korvich.

The Sergeant lowered his weapon and motioned gently for the women to head out. They still looked terrified but obeyed. Hassan then motioned for Kell to open the door. They both stepped into a large office lined with oak paneling. Bookshelves and more expensive decorations occupied the room. In the middle of the room, placed in front of a large window with a vista view of the now ruined base, was a wooden desk inlaid with ivory. Sitting behind the desk in a posh chair was Prince Kassad, a nervous smile on his face.

"Commander Hassan! What a pleasure to see you my friend." Kassad spoke as if there wasn't a high powered sniper rifle aimed directly at his head.

"It's time to pay for your crimes Kassad." Hassan couldn't keep the utter contempt he had for the man from his voice.

"What crimes? I have done you no wrong. In fact it is you who assaulted my city."

"What about your betrayal of Juhziz! Leaving us to die when we needed your armies. You are a traitor! No… a heretic! You will answer dearly for this." Hassan couldn't believe the arrogance from the man.

"The real traitor _is _Juhziz! He will lead our Brotherhood to ruin! While he fights his hopeless war, our people suffer. Our cities wilt away from poverty. Juhziz will starve the Brotherhood!"

"Don't pretend like you care Kassad. All you care for is yourself, you selfish pig."

"Yes, but you care. You have seen the people grow tired of the fighting. Juhziz's crusade will not save us, it will damn us." Kassad's voice grew pleading, the smile gone and replaced with a wild look in his eyes.

"I know how to save our people. I've made a deal with a GDI commander. If we promise to reduce our military, and stay out of GDI held territory, then they will leave us alone. The Brotherhood can live on freely from oppression. Listen to me Hassan: it is the only way."

Hassan took a step backwards, shocked at Kassad's open admission of heresy. To make a deal with the enemy? It was unheard of. It also explained why those special forces had landed in the city: GDI wanted it's pet traitor out safely.

"We shall see what the people of Cairo have to say once they hear of this. Get him out of my sights."

"You are making a mistake! Don't be a blind fool!"

Kell smashed the butt of his rifle into Kassad's head, causing the man to go limp. Kell then began dragging Kassad's unconscious body away, leaving Hassan alone in the office.

He sat down in the now vacant chair and sighed. The battle was over, but he still had to clean up the mess and secure the city. And there was still no word from Juhziz. All Hassan knew was that GDI had claimed the capital of Kazakhstan and were swiftly pushing Nod forces out of the country. He looked down to the desk and noticed the cell phone. He picked it up and inspected it. A generic flip phone, which seemed out of place given the opulence of everything else. He opened the phone and noticed the single contact saved.

All of Hassan's doubts suddenly rushed to the forefront of his mind. He knew that Juhziz would only incur GDI's wrath with his plan. All it promised was a prolonged war that Nod had no hope of winning. Kassad was right; the people were starving, entire countries were struggling since the war had ended, and all the infighting had done was exasperated those problems. The Brotherhood needed time to heal, to rebuild. It needed peace.

Hassan took the phone and stared at it for a good while. Eventually he came to a decision, and called Kassad's GDI contact.

"Commander Solomon? This is Commander Hassan. You and I have a lot to discuss."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: Scottusa1, thank you for the reviews. Glad you are enjoying it so far!**

**Chapter 8**

**Baikonur Cosmodrome,**

**Southern Kazakhstan.**

**GDI forward operating base**

**September 23****rd****, 2011**

**1100**

A cool breeze managed to sneak its way into the tent, causing the sides to flap slightly. The inside smelled of freshly fertilized fields mixed with poor quality coffee. Mark Lancaster tried to not let the smell bother him, but it was an increasingly daunting task. It was his fault, he supposed, for setting up a forward base in some farmer's field. But it served as the most optimal place to prepare for what could be the most desperate battle of Mark's career.

His victory in the capital had been short lived, when General Granger reported that the mastermind behind the Beijing bombing was not only here in Kazakhstan, but was also preparing to launch a nuclear missile. Where he planned to strike, InOps could only guess, but it was clear that he needed to be stopped, and fast. It was because of this race against time, that Mark had decided to divide his army. The main bulk of his forces would attack the Cosmodrome head on, and make it seem like the main push. Meanwhile Mark would lead a smaller strike force and attack from the rear. This did however mean he had to trust someone else to lead his forces, and he had been forced to choose between either letting the still injured Major Wilson lead the main attack, or trust Lieutenant Sergio to lead the strike team. And while he had the utmost confidence in Sergio's capabilities, the fact that time was working against them prompted Mark to take command of the strike team himself.

Regardless, Mark found himself glued to his laptop, watching the battle unfold and wishing he could take command. But he had to trust his subordinates, and he knew the Major would do him proud. He watched as Raptors sped overhead the Nod defences, dropping bombs and flying off in the blink of an eye. More than a hundred Crusader tanks then slammed against the veritable wall of enemy forces, engaging with Nod Scorpions. Mark watched it all via satellite image, and one could be mistaken for thinking the two armies looked like waves crashing against each other. The reality of course, was men fighting and dying amid a hellscape of blood and fire and screaming. Despite what GDI propaganda said, war was not glorious, and to command men into battle was not easy but unfortunately necessary as war was ingrained into the human condition.

Mark forced himself to look away from the battle. For as ferocious as the fighting was, it was the smaller battle that would be remembered as the defining moment in history. He turned to regard the rest of the tent, stretching his aching muscles as he did. Around him, officers were busy working at terminals or talking with field units. There were only a handful in the tent, helping coordinate the task force. The bulk of Mark's command staff was with Major Wilson in the main GDI base.

The entrance to the tent opened and Sergio walked in, a scowl on his face as he came up to Mark. He gave a brisk salute before Mark quickly waved him to ease up.

"Thankfully the enemy doesn't seem to have noticed us yet. But unfortunately there is a sizable force defending the train yard." Sergio reported.

"How sizable? This was supposed to be a lightly used supply line?"

Mark's plan had hinged on using a secondary, smaller train line that ran through the rear of the Cosmodrome, cutting through a tiny village. InOps had determined that Nod's forces were focused in the Cosmodrome itself and the train was lightly used. He planned to use the train to infiltrate his task force to the rocket yard, and destroy the nuclear missile.

"At least a full brigade. A lot of equipment has been brought in and looks like its waiting to be transported by rail." Sergio finished.

Mark cursed out loud. His task force was much smaller than a full Nod brigade. He couldn't afford to be bogged down in a long fight. General Juhziz could launch his missile at any time. He needed to get close to the missile in order to deploy an ion cannon beacon. The Ion Cannon was GDI's space based super weapon, and had only been used once before, to end the Tiberium War. The decision to use it had been a drastic one, and one Granger had been adamant to inform him had cost quite a bit of effort. But with the fate of millions hanging in the balance, Mark would use whatever he could.

Of course nothing could be simple. Because the Ion Cannon wasn't in geosynchronous orbit over the Cosmodrome, it didn't have line of sight on the target and thus, Mark needed to plant a beacon inside the Nod base in order for the satellite to obtain a lock.

"We will just have to push through them. That train is our only ticket into the rocket yard."

Mark began to think of how best to use his forces against a numerically superior force. History quite frequently proved that larger numbers did not always guarantee victory.

Mark moved to a small table to consult a map of the area. Several village buildings cradled the river and a small scattering of hills, creating a choke point. No doubt Nod troops would occupy these buildings and wait for them. A path led through an abandoned mine, discarded after the Soviets had closed the entire facility. No doubt the enemy would expect an attack from there as well.

Sergio also stepped over to study the map, and Mark stopped to study him in return, having already formulated a plan.

"What do you suggest we do sir?" Sergio asked.

"Normally I would give you the opportunity to derive a solution yourself. We do not have that luxury today. We split the task force, half through the village, half through the mine. You lead the team to flank around the enemy, I'll lead the men in the front."

Sergio nodded his head as he continued looking at the map, committing it to memory. Mark moved to the rear end of the tent, where he retrieved his M8 rifle, as well as plenty of spare ammo. Most GDI battle-commanders would stay in the back to command their armies, but Mark had always preferred to be on the front whenever possible. It was risky, but it inspired his men to fight harder, and he would never ask those under his command to do something he himself would not do.

"Are we ready to begin sir?" Sergio had an expectant look in his eyes. He was ready for a fight.

"Get everyone ready. We move in ten minutes."

Sergio saluted then exited the tent. Mark issued a few orders to his officers then exited the tent himself. He stood outside and surveyed his troops: all the brave men and women who had been handpicked for this operation due to their courageous willingness to charge to their deaths in order to stop a madman. And it would take courage for they would be going in light: aside from three X-0 powersuits and a couple of M113 APCs for fire support, they would have no armor and no air support, only their wits and their skill.

He took another deep breath, then made his way towards a smaller tent nearby that housed the squad of GDI Rangers tasked to be his personal bodyguards. He pushed his worry and doubt deep down: all that was left to do now was win. He would crush these terrorists and bring their leader to justice. Mark was the man who killed Kane after all; the Demon, as he had heard himself he be called. Nothing would stand in his way, because as General Granger had bluntly put it: the fate of the free world hung in the balance.

… … …

Robert McCoy stared out a window on the second floor of the farm house, looking down the road towards the village. Behind the farm house, the GDI force was camped in a wheat field, something the irate farmer was still going on about despite their arrival hours ago. McCoy gritted his teeth as he clenched and unclenched his fists, as King argued loudly with the farmer.

Unable to take the noise, McCoy got up and hastily made his way outside, passing by Reed as he cleaned his sidearm at the kitchen table. Once outside, he started taking deep breaths to try and calm himself, holding the air in his lungs for a moment before exhaling. He did this for a few minutes before he finally felt the shaking go away.

"Someone's coming up to the house, Sarge."

McCoy nearly jumped as he turned to see West standing a few feet away. He hadn't seen the young man standing there earlier.

"How long have you been there for?" McCoy asked when his heart stopped trying to burst from his chest.

"Half hour. On guard duty." West didn't look at him when he spoke.

"Oh. Right."

McCoy turned to watch the newcomer approach. He was still a ways off, but McCoy could tell it was an officer. McCoy then shot West a look, but the kid still refused to look at him. Things had been tense with the squad since Rodriguez's death, and McCoy's melt down. He still cursed himself for that. He just wanted his squad, his family, to be back to normal.

"I've put in a request to be transferred to another unit." West suddenly said.

"What! Why?" McCoy felt panic and anger flash through him, before settling on sadness.

"I did it awhile back! Before we got deployed here to Kazakhstan. I…I just didn't know how to tell you. You've been so nice to me Sarge I…I requested to be transferred to the 22nd, where my brothers are. That's all." West looked down at his feet sheepishly.

McCoy felt all the emotions drain away and relief flood through him. He was sad to hear West would leave, but glad it wouldn't be because of what happened.

"You could have told me Tony. I completely understand your decision; makes me wonder why you never got deployed with them before. I just…I'm just glad it's not because of me."

"Of course not! You're the best squad leader I could have ever hoped for. I know you've got, uh, issues. But that's no concern for me. Or even the others."

"Really? I thought everyone was bent out of shape about it."

"You kidding? We totally thought the Lieutenant deserved it, and more. We're just tense."

"About?"

"Nod launching a nuke at our homes."

McCoy felt like an idiot for sulking about the last few days, thinking his own men would turn against him. He was relieved, but also felt guilty that he hadn't been helping his men with their worries. He had failed in his duties as a squad leader, as a friend.

"Thank you Tony. I'd hate to see you go."

"I sort of regret my decision. But I'm not going back on it, I want to see my brothers."

"Good on you. And don't worry about a thing. We'll march up there and take that nuke, and send it down to Hell where Kane can shove it up his ass!"

West finally turned to face McCoy, a smile on his face now. The sight made McCoy feel better as well: no matter what demons ate away at him, he had a responsibility to his men. Any further conversation ended as the newcomer arrived, it wasn't an officer like McCoy had thought, but a sergeant. One who spent most of his time around officers though, based on the way he carried himself.

"I'm looking for Sergeant Robert McCoy, 5th Platoon, Alpha Company." The sergeant said in a formal manner.

"I'm Sergeant McCoy."

"Sergeant I'm here to inform you that you and your squad are being reassigned from Alpha Company. You are to report to Lieutenant Davis over at Charlie."

"Can I ask why?"

"Orders come down from the Commander himself. He says in light of your…relationship with Lieutenant Andreas, that it would be best to separate you two."

"Ah, I see. Understood Sergeant, thank you."

The Sergeant nodded then turned on his heels and walked away. McCoy watched him walk down the gravel road for a moment before heading back inside, West right behind him. He found Reed and King sitting at the kitchen table, the farmer having given up his argument and left. Both men looked up at him as he entered.

"What's up Sarge?" Reed asked as he finished putting his pistol back together.

"We are being reassigned to Charlie Company. We are to report to Lieutenant Davis ASAP."

Both men looked to each other before shrugging and standing up. The four men proceeded to grab their gear and leave the farm house, the farmer gaining a second wind and shouted at their backs. They made their way towards the small cluster of tents, searching for Charlie Company, passing by other squads as they waited for the order to move out.

Eventually they found the tent of Lieutenant Davis. He was a dark skinned man, well-toned but not muscular. He wore a pair of wire thin reading glasses and was in the process of writing something when McCoy approached him. He gave a salute and waited for the Lieutenant to notice him. Davis quickly finished writing something on the stack of papers in front of him before standing up and returning the salute.

"Sergeant Robert McCoy reporting as ordered sir. My squad is with me as well." McCoy said as professionally as he could.

Davis looked him up and down, as he clasped his hands behind his back and gave a deep frown.

"I heard about what happened with Lieutenant Andreas. Tell me Sergeant, are we going to have a similar problem?" Davis' voice was deep, and he spoke with a hint of concern.

"Depends sir, on if you're an asshole."

Reed and the others looked shocked that McCoy had just spoken that way to a superior officer. They looked even more shocked when Davis nearly doubled over laughing to the point a tears appeared in his eye.

"Good man! Wish I had been there to see you deck that arrogant bastard. Glad to have you here Rob."

The two men shook hands and shared a laugh, leaving McCoy's men trying to understand what was going on.

"You and you're boys will stick with me. Hang tight here, orders are bound to come down soon."

"Thank you sir." McCoy turned to address his men. "You heard the LT: hang tight, and Reed, stay out of trouble."

"Why do you just assume I'll get into trouble?" Reed asked.

"Because it's you we're talking about."

"Hey, I'm not the one who knocked out a superior officer."

Reed and McCoy stared each other down for a moment, before McCoy laughed and lightly punched Reed on the shoulder. The four men then found a seat next to another squad who were talking amongst themselves. The two groups began trading war stories or memories of home. It created a sense of calm, but McCoy could easily tell people were anxious. The waiting could sometimes be far worse than actual combat. He had drifted away from the conversation and had gotten lost in his own thoughts, so it took him a moment to realize that someone was talking to him.

"Sorry what was that?"

"I was just wondering about what you did during the war. Never heard you talk about it before."

The question had come from West, innocent curiosity gleaming in his eyes. Reed and King shot a quick look to McCoy before focusing on the ground.

"Uh Tony, that's not a good question to ask the Sarge." Reed said, voice barely above a whisper.

"No it's alright. He's earned the right to know." McCoy took a deep breath, feeling his hands already beginning to shake, but he pushed himself to speak anyways. "I was nineteen when the war started. Just a dumb young kid, looking to find his way in the world. I signed up with the U.S. Army, but got transferred with everyone else to serve with GDI. Anyways my first deployment was with Commander Lancaster to Estonia. It was my first time being deployed and because of that, I was scared shitless, so scared to even know how to fire my gun."

West looked enraptured by the story, the soldiers from the other squad had also leaned in to hear McCoy's tale. He smiled briefly at his eager audience, then resumed.

"So I meet this big guy, named Steve Gale. Me and him stick together for the rest of the war, I'm glad I met him, saved my ass more than a few times. So we fight our way through Europe, all the while the world slowly goes to shit. The world gets split in two, either you're with GDI, or with Nod, but while we were busy killing each other, Tiberium spread out like a cancer. Bloody pointless war, lost a lot of good friends. Some of the things Nod used, it…it was stuff you wouldn't believe Tony."

"Like what?"

"Laser weapons, weaponized Tiberium. Stuff of nightmares."

"Lasers? Really? Like out of Star Wars or something." West started to laugh but stopped when McCoy shot him a look of pure anger.

"This wasn't some sci-fi bullshit kid! You didn't see people be burned alive! Or have their limbs melt away! You didn't see it, you didn't…you didn't smell it."

Everyone fell silent at that. McCoy gripped his right hand, as it was shaking uncontrollably. West opened and closed his mouth a few times before he finally spoke.

"I'm sorry Sergeant. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's okay kid. You didn't know. I just hope we never have to fight another war like that again."

McCoy looked up at the others as they nodded their heads in agreement. But he could see their moods had soured, even more so then before. McCoy pushed down on his own emotions and stood up, gaining confused looks from then others.

"We aren't going to let another war like that happen. That's why we're here, why we keep fighting. Because even though the Brotherhood claims to fight for the betterment of mankind, all they do is bring death and destruction. We will stop the Brotherhood! Right?"

"Right!" Everyone shouted in unison.

"I said right!"

"RIGHT!"

McCoy smiled as a new vigor coursed through him and those around him. They would stop Nod and whoever claimed to lead it, no matter what. In all the years he had been fighting against the Brotherhood, with all the different squad members he had served with, he was never more proud then of these men. He just wished that despite their new motivation, that his bloody hands would stop shaking.

As McCoy had been giving his pep talk, soldiers had starting running around the camp. McCoy's men and the other squad all got to their feet, anxiety giving way to excitement. Lieutenant Davis came jogging by and spotted them.

"Mount up people, let's go!"

McCoy and the others jogged after him, quickly grabbing their gear. They eventually fell in with the rest of the task force as they all ran towards the front of the camp, where the vehicles were waiting. Commander Lancaster was already standing by the lead Humvee, surrounded by his Ranger bodyguard. McCoy also spotted Lieutenant Andreas, who shot him a quick look of disgust before pretending not to notice him. McCoy ignored him and stood behind Davis, the entire task force having gathered and ready to roll out.

"Listen up people!" Lancaster started. "We are going to be splitting the task force into two teams, One and Two. Team One, which I will be personally leading, will push up through the village into the train station. Team Two, led by Lieutenant Andreas, will take the APCs and go around the enemy defences. Our objective: take the train, use it to infiltrate the rocket yard, and activate the Ion Cannon. The rest of the army has just broken through the outer defences, so now is our chance. Load up people!"

Everyone quickly piled into their assigned vehicles, moving with discipline and barely contained energy. McCoy and his men followed Davis into a waiting Humvee, cramming into the back while Davis sat up front with the driver. King took the gun as usual, and McCoy did more breathing exercises to calm his nerves. He looked out the window to see the Commander climb into the lead Humvee; apparently he wanted to be the first into the fight. McCoy had always respected that man, having lead him through countless battles and always coming out victorious. He just hoped that the Commander could do that again here.

The three X-0 powersuits at the vanguard of the task force moved forward. Their heavy mechanical feet left deep footprints in the muddy dirt road that led from the farmhouse to the village. Slowly the vehicles of Team Two, comprised of three Humvees and the two APCs, followed behind. Last to leave the camp were the remaining five Humvees that contained the soldiers of Team One. They rolled down the road and passed underneath a large train bridge that connected two mountains over the small valley which contained the village. McCoy moved to get a better view out the front window, and spotted two houses that marked the edge of the village.

"_Team Two you have green light. Proceed with caution." _Lancaster said over the radio.

"_Copy that sir."_

The three Humvees broke off from the small convoy and took the dirt road towards the mine. They simply drove through the rusted chain link fence and moved out of view, with the APCs close behind. Team One then continued on its way into the village, the X-0s passing the first few buildings.

_"Keep your eyes peeled and your trigger fingers ready. Eyes on the street and the rooftops."_

The order came from the lead X-0, and McCoy decided to relay the same order to King. McCoy became very tense as soon as they drove onto the paved road that led through the village. Each and every window now became a possible sniper's nest, and every alley a potential place for an ambush. The others inside the Humvee likewise looked tense, West more so then anyone.

The three powersuits moved down the street, their footsteps sounding like cannons in the silence. It was when they reached the first intersection that all hell broke loose. Sniper and small arms fire bounced off the powersuits and Humvees' light armour, coming from a dozen different directions. Confused chatter exploded over the radio as people frantically tried to find the source of the incoming bullets, while the Commander yelled for people to calm down.

It all seemed to stretch on for hours, but in reality it was only a few minutes. The X-0s began to fire back, spraying wide arcs across the buildings in a blind attempt to hit something. Entire sections of wall were blown apart, leaving gaping holes in the buildings. McCoy could see figures running across those holes now, and they wore the unmistakable black and red uniforms of Nod soldiers.

"King! Don't wait for the order, just pick a target and shoot!" McCoy bellowed.

King replied by opening fire with the heavy machine gun, tearing apart a small corner side café that housed a heavy weapons team. The Humvees had come to a stop in the intersection, ripping into the buildings as the X-0s shifted their focus onto squads of Nod troops emerging from alleyways. Their bullets did little to nothing against the armoured vehicles, and the powersuits cut down the enemy like a scythe through wheat. For a moment, McCoy thought they would blow through this ambush and claim the train station with little effort. Those thoughts were dashed when an RPG streaked down from a rooftop and destroyed one of the X-0s.

More rockets rained down from the roofs, narrowly missing the Humvees. The vehicles quickly scattered down the streets in different directions in a mad bid to avoid being hit. King was still firing as their Humvee raced down a street heading toward the river. McCoy could just barely see him hit Nod soldiers on the roofs.

_"Team One regroup at the next intersection! We need to push through!"_

Lancaster's call cut through the panicked confusion, and Lieutenant Davis quickly ordered the driver to turn in the right direction. They bounded up a one way street, before cutting across a main road that connected to the second intersection. The two X-0s had already pushed their way forward, though one was badly dented and scorched, while the other was missing half of its canopy. They continued to fire at targets on the roof, though the amount of RPG fire had already slackened. McCoy's Humvee rolled out to meet them, just as the other four did.

Things grew eerily quiet as the shooting stopped, and the only sound now was King swiveling the gun around, looking for a target. The small convoy waited for something to happen, unwilling to move. Davis was speaking with the Commander over the radio, but McCoy paid it no mind, as he heard a faint noise growing louder. Someone else spotted it first as a bone chilling shout erupted from the radio.

_"Scorpion tank!"_

Before anyone could even react, the aforementioned tank came around a corner. It fired at one of the X-0s, obliterating it, and showering its partner with flaming pieces of metal. The Humvees opened fire with their heavy machine guns, but it was a wasted effort.

_"Everyone out! Take cover in the buildings! Drivers, get out of here once everyone is clear!"_

No one waited for Davis or McCoy to repeat the Commander's order. They all piled out of the Humvee and bolted for the closest building. McCoy quickly kicked the door in and did a sweep of the room. It was a halfway decent looking bar with wooden fixtures and cheap furniture. The rest of the squad made their way inside before taking positions around the windows. McCoy was about to ask Davis what to do, when six more GDI soldiers barged into the bar, including Commander Lancaster himself.

Outside the Humvees began to speed back towards the base, knowing they'd be useless against the tank. The third X-0 likewise tried to limp back to safety, but was too slow and collapsed to the street in a disjointed heap of metal. The Scorpion then rolled down the street, seemingly to give chase to the Humvees. It rolled passed the bar that McCoy and the others had taken refuge in. It hadn't rolled more than two feet away before Commander Lancaster began barking orders.

"We need anti-tank weapons. Anyone in this squad equipped?" He directed his question to Davis.

"Yes sir. Private Reed, take the AT-4 and head outside. We'll cover you." Davis ordered.

"My Rangers will give support from here." Lancaster added.

"Yes sirs!"

Reed quickly removed the AT-4 launcher from his back. McCoy and West moved back outside, behind the Scorpion tank, and scanned for any foot targets. Reed came running out to the middle of the road, where he then crouched down and took aim.

"Rocket!" Reed yelled.

He fired the missile and it raced down the street, slamming into the exposed backside. The missile exploded, tearing open the tank's rear and causing it to grind to a halt. Reed discarded the weapon, as another soldier armed with a rocket launcher came jogging up the road. At first it seemed like Reed's missile had no effect, and the Scorpion's turret slowly rotated to face them. But mere moments later, a second explosion from within destroyed the vehicle, and sent burning debris through nearby windows. McCoy patted Reed on the shoulder, but they both whirled around as men began shouting out in warning.

McCoy turned around to see a heavily armoured tractor moving up the street the Scorpion had come from. One quick look at the vehicle told McCoy that it was bad news. One of the GDI soldiers armed with another AT-4 kneeled down to take aim at the vehicle, but the weapon dropped at the same time his body did, a hole through his forehead.

"Sniper! Take cover!"

Soldiers scrambled back inside as sniper fire rained down from the rooftops above. McCoy and his men retreated back into the same building as before, narrowly missing sniper rifle rounds as they impacted in the street. McCoy moved to the window, careful to keep low to avoid being spotted by the snipers. He noticed the tractor continued to move closer to them. It stopped in front of one of the buildings that the GDI soldiers were hiding inside. Bullets bounced off the armour as the men inside the building tried desperately to fight back. The tractor then sprayed a torrent of green liquid into the building, literally melting the front wall, and the men inside. McCoy's hands began to shake again as the tortured screams rang out across the street, even Lancaster seemed horrified by the sight.

"Sir, we can't stay here. We need to move." One of the Rangers urged.

Lancaster stared at the tractor as it moved to the next building. The men inside knew what was coming and ran back into the street, where they were then cut down by sniper fire.

"We need to destroy that thing! Private, do you have any rockets left?" Lancaster asked.

"Negative sir!" Reed replied, nervously eyeing the approaching tractor.

Lancaster cursed, then turned to look back outside. His eyes resting on the fallen soldier who still clutched the rocket launcher. McCoy could already tell what the Commander had planned, so he pre-emptively readied a smoke grenade. Sure enough, the Commander turned to face his men and said.

"Sergeants McCoy and Tanner. I need you to provide suppressive and keep those snipers pinned down. Private Reed, go grab that rocket launcher, I'll cover you."

Everyone nodded their heads, then readied to run back outside. By this point, the tractor was nearly on their position, other GDI squads had retreated farther down the street. It was better to risk being killed by sniper fire, then to die an agonizing death by the toxic spray. Just as another squad managed to make it to safety, Lancaster gave the order, and McCoy's squad and the Rangers surged out into the street.

McCoy tossed the smoke grenade, then immediately opened fire at the top floor of the closest building to them. Others fired randomly at open windows or balconies, hoping to at least keep the Nod snipers down. Reed bolted for the AT-4 and quickly took aim. The smoke screen was already blowing away, just as the tractor rolled towards them, its turret aimed directly at them. McCoy fought down the urge to run and kept shooting at random, just as Reed shouted.

"Fuck you Tib' head!"

The rocket shot out and exploded against the front windshield. The tractor exploded in a brilliant fireball, that was quickly consumed by black-green smoke. The GDI troops backpedaled away from the toxic fumes, careful not to inhale them. The street grew quiet, the Nod snipers having either been killed or they had ran off.

GDI troops regrouped on the street, watching the green flames as Lancaster called for the Humvees to circle back to them.

"Lieutenant Andreas, what's your situation?"

_"We had to fight our way through the mine. Light resistance; it was just a token force sir. We have a visual on the train station now, just awaiting your orders."_

Lancaster nodded to himself before noticing that McCoy was standing close by, staring at the burning tractor like everyone else.

"How you holding up Sergeant?" Lancaster asked in a paternal tone.

"Good to go sir." McCoy replied a bit too mechanically.

Commander Lancaster just nodded again and turned as the Humvees moved up the street. They drove in a single file line, having to move around the ruined Scorpion tank.

"Alright people, let's mount up!" Lancaster shouted.

Everyone began to pile back into the Humvees, which were now scorched and dented.

"King, get back on the gun." McCoy ordered.

"Copy that."

McCoy and his squad got inside their original vehicle, with Davis still sitting in the front. The convoy again made its way through the village, passing the destroyed Tiberium Tractor, and away from the combat zone. The buildings began to grow further apart, before abruptly coming to an end. A large train yard now sprawled out in front of them, crisscrossed by a dozen rails. Warehouses and factories were tucked away by the river, and the main road led towards the large train station, before continuing on to the rest of the village beyond.

Two Stinger sites defended the yard, along with three Scorpion tanks and twice as many Attack Buggies. McCoy could also see Nod infantry defending the station, or working on securing equipment to waiting train cars. The Humvees stopped just out of range of the Nod forces, and McCoy could hear the Commander's voice over the radio.

_"Team One is in position. Team Two, be ready to attack on my signal."_

_"Copy that, Team Two ready."_

_"Okay everyone, our main objective is to secure the train station. EVA reports that the resupply train is due to arrive in ten to twenty minutes. Let's make this quick."_

McCoy took a deep breath as he exchanged a look with Reed and West. He had made a vow to himself that he would get all of his men home, no matter what. He already failed Rodriguez, he would not fail anyone else.

_"Major Wilson, what's your status?"_

_"We've taken control over an auxiliary command post sir. Enemy is putting up one hell of a fight. We still have to push through the main compound before we can even get close to the control building."_ Major Wilson's voice sounded strained; clearly he was under a lot of pressure commanding the entire army.

_"Copy that. We are about to assault the train station. Just make sure you divert as much attention to yourself as you can."_

_"Understood, but sir, we have a problem. A countdown just popped up on screen here. Nod's going to launch the nuke in less than sixty minutes."_

McCoy's heart dropped, and cold fear flowed through him. They knew it was only a matter of time, but now that there was a countdown, it made it all the more real. There was silence over the radio for a moment, and McCoy became painfully aware of every second that ticked by. Finally the Commander responded.

_"Major Wilson, I need an immediate air strike on my position. Target is enemy armour."_ Lancaster's voice was calm, no hint of panic.

_"But sir. Won't that be giving you away?"_

_"You said it yourself Major. We're out of time."_

_"Copy that Commander. Raptor strike inbound. ETA two mikes."_

_"Okay everyone. You heard the news, we are on the clock now. Which means we need to work faster. As soon as those Raptors take out the armour, we rush in."_

McCoy took deep breaths to calm his beating heart, and noticed the others likewise trying to distract themselves. West was checking over his rifle, while Reed tapped his foot to some kind of rhythm, and even King nervously drummed his fingers on the roof of the vehicle. McCoy kept his gaze forward on the Nod defences. They had clearly taken note of the GDI force, but seemed content on waiting for them to make the first move.

The Nod troops wouldn't have to wait for long however, as two GDI Raptors came flying low over the river, in an attempt to avoid Nod SAM sites. The two Raptors quickly flew over the train yard, firing self-guided missiles that quickly sought out their prey. The three Scorpion tanks defending the entrance were destroyed in an instant, along with most of the Nod soldiers defending the station.

Before the smoke could even clear, Lancaster gave the order to attack. The Humvees surged forward, and the gunners opened up on the disoriented enemy. The two Stinger sites were ripped apart as high calibre rounds tore through the camouflage netting and sandbags. Nod soldiers inside were likewise cut down before they could resist. King let out a viscous laugh as he fired the machine gun in long bursts. McCoy looked out the window to see the other Humvees and the APCs of Team Two had entered the fray.

McCoy's Humvee pushed through the smoke and into the train yard. The driver had to swerve to avoid hitting a Buggy that had survived the air strike. It turned its heavy machine gun on them, but King was faster and tore through the light armoured vehicle. The GDI force sped towards the station, blowing past the remaining Nod soldiers. They were almost at the station when several Attack Bikes came racing towards them from the warehouses. King turned to fire at them, destroying two, but not before one managed to fire a missile. The driver tried to avoid it, but the missile impacted against the underside of the driver's side, almost flipping the vehicle over. It crashed down hard and skidded for a few feet before stopping, tossing everyone around violently.

McCoy shook his head clear and noticed that the driver had been killed, but everyone else seemed fine. He tapped on King's legs, as the man was still firing the heavy gun. McCoy then kicked open the door and motioned for everyone to get out.

"We need to find cover! Come on people, move it!"

McCoy and Reed took up defensive positions as the others climbed out. Lieutenant Davis clutched at a cut on his head as he stumbled out. McCoy scanned their surroundings. Things were in chaos: burning vehicles were strewn about the train yard, and GDI troops were engaged in a desperate firefight with Nod forces inside the station. More Nod forces were making their way up from the warehouses by the river, while the GDI APCs had deployed their occupants.

McCoy couldn't see where the Commander was, but the GDI forces were pushing hard for the station, while the Humvees were engaged with the few remaining Nod vehicles.

McCoy spotted a squad of Nod troops in cover behind a train car carrying a SS-25 Sickle ICBM launcher, clearly trying to flank friendly forces.

"Lieutenant, hostile targets. By the launcher."

Davis looked around for a moment before he spotted what McCoy was pointing out.

"I see them Sergeant."

"Sir, suggest we neutralize them and use that position for cover."

"Agreed. Move it, go!"

The squad dashed across the train yard, leaping over train tracks. So far they hadn't been noticed by any Nod forces, but that changed in an instant. They were nearly upon the squad of Nod soldiers when an Attack Bike rounded a corner and came hurtling towards them. West, Reed, and King all snapped up their rifles and fired on the bike, but most of their shots missed as the vehicle swerved and maneuvered to avoid them. McCoy took aim with his own rifle, and tracked the Bike as it did its maneuvers. He fired a single, extended burst and managed to shatter the thin canopy protecting the driver. The Bike then fell to its side and skidded well past them, crashing farther off.

The brief firefight had attracted the attention of the squad they were trying to outflank, causing them to turn and fire on McCoy and his men. They ran for cover behind more train cars loaded with Rocket Buggies and their ammunition. It was obvious that the Brotherhood had been planning on fortifying the Cosmodrome, perhaps even planning on making it their new capitol.

McCoy reached cover and immediately turned to fire back against the Nod troops. His bullets missed, but he did drive a soldier back into hiding. The others began to trade fire with the enemy, bullets bouncing off the metal train car or off the ICBM launcher. McCoy fired another burst, but again failed to hit any target. He took a moment to survey the rest of the battle while he reloaded, and saw that the GDI forces were locked in a stalemate with the Nod defenders.

McCoy returned his attention to the fight at hand. West and Reed were laying down a wall of suppressive fire, while King attempted to fire more accurate and precise bursts. They managed to kill and wound two Nod soldiers, but were forced back into cover from the hailstorm of return fire. Lieutenant Davis was preoccupied yelling into his radio, so McCoy decided to climb onto the train car to try and gain an advantage.

He climbed over and around the Rocket Buggies that were tied down to the car, and carefully avoided the racks containing ammunition. From his new vantage point, he could see the remaining four Nod soldiers huddle behind the train car: they were cut off from the station and any remaining reinforcements from the warehouses. McCoy smiled as he loaded a grenade into his underslung launcher. He fired, and watched as the grenade arced towards the enemy. The explosion sent men flying into the air, and caused the train car carrying the ICBM launcher to rock slightly. Seeing their cue, McCoy's men rushed forward and took positions where the Nod troops once stood. Reed fired two bullets, killing the two wounded men who survived the grenade. McCoy hopped down and joined Davis as he walked over.

"We're taking too long here. We don't have much time." Davis said distractedly.

"It will take a long time to fully secure the station, sir." McCoy added.

"Agreed, but we don't need the station. Just need the train."

McCoy and Davis joined with the others and they all stared out across the train yard. The GDI APCs had moved to form a barrier for the troops to use as cover as they continued to battle it out with the Nod defenders. The vehicle battle had ended with Nod Buggies and Bikes scattered across the train yard, and only a handful of Humvees left functional. At the rate they were going, it would take too long to secure the station. The Brotherhood would fire the nuclear missile by then, and millions of civilians would die.

"We need to regroup with the Commander." Davis said.

McCoy nodded his head in agreement, and they all jogged over to the GDI forces in cover behind the APCs. The sound of bullets pinging off the transports armour was deafening, forcing people to shout just to be heard. Davis ran over to Lancaster and was practically yelling in his ear but despite that, McCoy could barely hear him, even though he was just a few feet away.

"Sir how are we going to take the station?" Davis asked.

"I haven't figured that out yet Lieutenant. I'm all open to suggestions."

The race against time was clearly taking its toll on the Commander, as his tone had grown far more agitated.

"Can we call in another Raptor strike?"

"Negative. We can't risk damaging the tracks. But that does give me an idea."

Lancaster turned to face Lieutenant Andreas, who was crouched nearby.

"Sergio, take your grenadiers and neutralize those shooters. Davis, take everyone else and cover them."

"Yes sir!" Davis and Sergio said in unison.

Davis rallied the GDI soldiers around him, as Sergio readied the two squads of grenadiers. McCoy took a deep breath and exchanged a look with each of his men. Then the Commander gave the order and the GDI troops surged out from behind the APCs. McCoy immediately began firing at the train station, not bothering to find a target. Nod troops were in every single window, and had set up sandbag barricades around the front entrance. Several GDI soldiers fell in the initial push, but the others quickly gained the upper hand.

McCoy ducked down behind a forklift sitting in the open, and his men crowded in with him. He peeked around the forklift and spotted a Nod soldier manning a mounted machine gun in a barricade near the front. He was guarded by three other Nod troops and they were keeping the GDI grenadiers from getting a clear shot.

"West, Reed suppressive fire! King, take out that gunner!"

They all nodded, then McCoy stepped out from cover and fired a concentrated burst at the enemy. The bullets ripped at the barricade but nothing else. The Nod troops turned and fired at him, narrowly missing him as he ducked back into cover. West and Reed then opened fire and together managed to kill one of the enemy soldiers. King had used the distraction to aim his rifle, and fired a three round burst, killing the man operating the machine gun.

One of the other Nod soldiers attempted to take control of the gun, but King just fired another burst, killing him. The final soldier manning the barricade attempted to flee towards friendly lines, but was cut down by Reed before he could get too far. With the Nod defences now beginning to break, the GDI grenadiers moved into position. Eight men armed with grenade launchers began lobbying grenades into the train station. High explosive grenades ripped apart walls and blew apart barricades, while incendiary rounds were launched into the upper floors, causing fires to quickly spread and forced the Nod soldiers to flee.

The grenadiers fired a third volley of grenades just as the Commander called for them to cease fire. The eerie quiet that followed the end of a battle descended on the train yard, broken only by the roaring fires that now ate away at the station. McCoy let his shoulders sag, feeling the exhaustion from the day creep up on him. He led his squad back towards the APCs, where the Commander was now issuing out new orders.

"Thirty minutes. That's how long until the nuke launches. We need to work fast. Lieutenant Davis, take a squad and get the wounded loaded onto the transports, get them back to camp. Everyone else, as soon as that train pulls in, we hop on. Understood? Good."

McCoy and his men found somewhere to sit for a moment and rest. They watched as Davis loaded the wounded GDI soldiers onto the APCs, and then watched as they drove back through the village. The others had gathered their weapons and supplies and were now simply waiting, anxious of every minute that passed by.

By the time they heard the train horn in the distance, the clock had run down to just under twenty minutes. The GDI soldiers tensed up as they readied themselves to storm the train. The train appeared around the bend and began to slow down. It was a single engine that pulled five cargo cars behind it, as well as a single flatbed car carrying another SS-25 Sickle. As the train slowed down to a crawl, Lancaster's Rangers leaped onto the lead engine car, and forced their way into the driver's cabin. Lieutenant Andreas then gave the order for the others to storm the cargo cars, only to find them empty save for crates of ammunition and other supplies.

McCoy hopped back out in time to see the Rangers pulling two train conductors out of the cabin. Judging by their frightened looks, they were just civilians, not Nod soldiers. The Commander exchanged some rapid and terse words with the conductors, before they got back inside the cabin. The Commander then hopped into the lead cargo car and shouted,

"Mount up! Mount up! We are oscar mike!"

McCoy got back inside his own cargo car, and was soon joined by several other squads, including one of the grenadier squads. It took less than five minutes to get what was left of the task force and their gear loaded onto the train. Then it slowly lurched forward before gaining speed. McCoy stood by the open door and watched the ruined train yard turn into a winding mountain pass as the train made its way up into the mountain itself, plunging the car into darkness.

The darkness abruptly ended for a moment as they left the mountain tunnel and wound up on the train bridge. McCoy glanced down to see the GDI camp far below, only to have his line of sight blocked as they entered another dark tunnel. He tightened his grip on his rifle, and took a deep shuttering breath. Getting his men through this, getting them home, that was all that mattered now.

The train emerged from the second tunnel, and after taking a moment to adjust his eyes, McCoy could see they had arrived in the Cosmodrome's Rocket yard. The two missile scaffoldings were now in view, as was the nuclear missile.

The train stopped by a small platform where large cargo containers were strewn about, and Nod soldiers were busy loading and offloading cargo trucks. Several of them turned to face the newly arrived train, confused as to why it was so early. Those confused looks were replaced with terror, as the GDI troops opened fire on the unsuspecting men. They were cut down before they could raise their weapons, and one of the grenadiers lobbed a grenade into a cargo truck, destroying the vehicle and sending burning crates raining across the platform.

The GDI troops jumped off the train and rushed to secure the platform. Between them and the launch site was a large field, and it was defended by Stinger sites and an entire battalion of Nod infantry and vehicles.

"Push forward! We need to deploy the beacon! Push forward!" Lancaster shouted his orders as he and his Rangers took the lead.

McCoy and his men were close behind, moving quickly with their weapons shouldered. The Nod forces responded and moved to meet the GDI task force, infantry rushing ahead of Attack Buggies. There was little cover in the field, save for a few sparsely scattered rocks, and the uneven terrain itself. McCoy and his men took cover behind a small hill, laying prone as they opened fire on the approaching enemy. They fired in tight, controlled bursts, and each man killed or wounded a Nod soldier with each burst.

Commander Lancaster and his Rangers were still far ahead of the rest. He and his Rangers were in cover behind a large pile of loose rocks and other debris. The GDI Rangers cut down the enemy like a sharpened blade to grass. The Nod forces suffered heavy losses from the initial push, but it wasn't long before their numbers began to take a toll on the GDI troops. Several squads were decimated as they were overrun, and the rest of the task force would have been as well had GDI rocket troops not expended their ammunition to deter the Nod Buggies which had tried to circle around them.

McCoy could tell that they would not be able to push through, at least not in time to stop the missile from launching. He reloaded his rifle and kept shooting at the enemy, but they just kept coming like a wave. More GDI soldiers fell, and soon the screams of wounded and dying men grew louder than the sounds of gunfire.

McCoy sighted a squad of Nod soldiers trying to cover three men wearing green hazmat suits and red helmets. McCoy instantly recognized them as Nod Chemical troopers, and remembered the horrible effects their Tiberium sprayers had on humans.

"Target those Chem troopers!"

McCoy didn't wait for any acknowledgement from his men. Instead he took aim at one and fired a burst. One of the other soldiers however got in the way, going down in a spray of blood as the bullets tore through his upper chest. McCoy cursed and fired another burst. This one hit the Chem trooper in the leg, sending him crashing to the ground, clutching at his ruined leg. The others Nod soldiers began to fire back, their bullets ripping out chunks of earth from the hill. West and Reed both concentrated on the enemy squad, but King focused down on the other two Chem troopers.

One of his bursts missed the trooper himself, but must have hit something vital on the sprayer, as it exploded in a cloud of metal and green sludge. One of the regular Nod riflemen began to thrash about violently as some of the Tiberium got on him, and quickly ate through his flesh. McCoy fired a burst that put the man out of his misery. The final Chem trooper was killed by West, his bullets shattering the protective helmet.

McCoy took a moment to reload again and see how the rest of the battle was going. His heart dropped when he saw how many GDI soldiers had fallen, and the fact they had yet to claim any ground; in fact, they were losing it.

Lancaster and his Rangers had fallen back from the front, and McCoy could see they had taken cover with Lieutenant Andreas. More Nod troops were advancing towards them, along with more Buggies. McCoy knew they were running out of time, but all he could do now was focus on his breathing and taking down any Nod soldier that came into his sights.

"Fall back! All units fall back! Retreat to the platform."

McCoy could feel his blood go cold upon hearing the Commander's order. He sprung to his feet and yelled for the others to run, firing three extended bursts before he too turned and ran. The GDI force ran as fast as they could back to the platform and the relative safety the cargo containers could provide.

The Nod forces were pushing harder now, seeing victory was within their grasp. McCoy could see smoke coming out from the launch pit as the missile was getting ready to launch. McCoy began to feel himself getting overwhelmed: bullets were pinging off the container, men were screaming as they died, Lancaster was yelling for support that wouldn't come in time, and McCoy's men themselves were looking scared and desperate. It all caused his hands to shake, and his breathing to be short and frantic. They were going to fail. The nuke would launch, millions would die, and McCoy wouldn't be able to get his men home, nor would he be able to see Steve or his family.

"The Commander is down! Medic! I need a medic! The Commander has been hit!"

McCoy snapped up to see the squad of Rangers lying dead on the ground and Commander Lancaster writhing in pain. Three full squads rushed up to cover him as Lieutenant Andreas shouted for a medic. It was hard to see from where he was, but McCoy could see the Commander's leg was a twisted mess of blood and bone. He searched for what could have taken out Lancaster's elite bodyguard, only to fight down a scream of terror. A Scorpion tank slowly lumbered towards them, ahead of even more Nod troops. It fired another shell that exploded against a container, killing the men behind it.

"Everyone retreat! Get behind the train." Lieutenant Andreas' voice was filled with fear.

McCoy again covered his men as they ran back towards the train. He fired sporadic bursts at the advancing enemy, but couldn't take his eyes away from the tank.

"Sarge come on!"

Reed ran back to him and grabbed him by the shoulder. They both ran towards the train, jumping over the connectors between the cars and taking cover behind the train with what was left of the task force. McCoy spotted Andreas with a team of combat medics, frantically working on Commander Lancaster's ruined leg. Men were firing random bursts back towards the enemy, but most stared towards the Commander, unsure of what to do.

"Sarge?"

McCoy turned to see Reed and the others looking at him with concern. He turned away, unable to face them knowing he failed. His eyes fell on a large metal object, about the size of an American football; it was the Ion Cannon beacon.

A strange sense of serenity suddenly passed over McCoy. His breathing slowed before evening out, and his hands abruptly stopped shaking. Time seemed to slow as men fought and died around him, and without thinking, McCoy ran and grabbed the beacon that was lying next to Lieutenant Andreas.

McCoy took a deep breath, before dashing out from behind the train and towards the enemy. He sprinted as fast as he could, ignoring everything except the launch site directly in front of him. At first, Nod soldiers seemed to ignore him. Or maybe they were too dumbstruck to respond. But it wasn't long before bullets started whizzing passed him, and McCoy could hear the crack of near-misses fill his ears, and he could feel the heat as bullets grazed his body.

But none of that mattered. All that mattered was the beacon in his hands, and the launch pad that rose out from the ground in front of him. He was close. So close.

Ten meters.

Eight meters.

Five meters.

White hot pain abruptly erupted from his right shoulder as a bullet finally found its way home, causing him to stumble. Clods of dirt were thrown into the air as bullets chewed up the ground around him, but McCoy ignored the pain, ignored the fear. All that mattered was that beacon. All that mattered was that launch pad.

Come on!

Almost… there…

_CRACK!_

A gasp of pain slipped through his gritted teeth as a burst of bullets suddenly smashed into his left leg, tearing it to shreds. McCoy tried to stay on his feet, he really did, but with the bone shattered into a thousand pieces, it just wasn't physically possible. McCoy was sent tumbling to the ground where he was just barely able to keep his hold on the beacon as he hit the ground.

He was so close.

So close.

Just a bit further…

The sound of his ragged breathing filled his ears as he started to claw his way forward across the ground, dragging his dead leg behind him, but then a pair of hands grabbed him and flipped him over, and McCoy suddenly found himself face to face with the business end of a Nod rifle. He could see the Nod trooper raise his rifle and start to take up the slack on his trigger, and McCoy suddenly knew this was the end.

But not for him.

With the last bit of his strength, McCoy grabbed the barrel and jerked it to the side. As the rifle went off right by his head, he lifted the beacon and hurtled in the direction of the launch pad. Immediately, he felt his body get perforated with bullets, but at that point, it no longer mattered.

As the beacon flew through the air and disappear from his sightline, a cold sense of serenity filled his mind.

High above him, in the bright blue day sky, a star had formed and was growing brighter. Robert McCoy smiled and closed his eyes, and let the darkness take him.

… … …

Mark Lancaster thrashed around on the ground, letting out tortured moans of pain as medics worked on his leg. Sergio Andreas knew that there was no hope of saving it. The tank shell had killed all of Mark's Rangers and ripped apart his leg. It was nothing short of a miracle that the leg was all he would lose. Sergio looked up to see the GDI soldiers fighting against the encroaching enemy troops. Many looked afraid and he couldn't blame them. They were out of time. Any second now the missile would fire and there would be no stopping it. They had failed.

"Ion cannon beacon activated. Target locked. Ion cannon moving into position. Firing in T-minus thirty seconds."

Sergio stared down at Mark's tacpad in confusion. The EVA unit had just reported that the beacon was active, but that was impossible because the beacon was right beside him…

He looked down to find the beacon missing, and he frantically looked around until he noticed the GDI soldiers were shouting and pointing at something. Sergio stood up and looked around the train car to find a lone GDI soldier running towards the enemy before collapsing to the ground, a small metal object flying away from him as he fell: the Ion Cannon beacon.

The beacon failed to reach the missile, but landed close enough that the blast would still be able to vaporize the warhead. Sergio wanted to cheer, had he not realized a moment later that they were at risk of being vaporized themselves.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN! INCOMING! I REPEAT, INCOMING!"

Sergio placed his back against one of the train wheels, pressing himself as low as he could. The medics huddle together over Mark's body as other GDI soldiers tried to get into cover. Sergio could hear one soldier crying out a name, _McCoy_, but all sound disappeared. All Sergio could hear was a ringing white noise in his ear as the world seemed to stand still for an eternity.

A sound like a thousand people screaming assaulted his ears just as a wave of heat washed passed the train and over the GDI soldiers. It was so intense that he felt he would burst into flames. The train cars rocked violently as the force of the Ion cannon blast hit them. It felt like it would last forever, as the force and heat kept washing over them. Then it ended and silence fell over the Rocket yard.

Sergio stood up and looked around the train car. Laying before him was a blackened field of scorched earth and glass. Beyond that all that remained of the launch site was a half melted launch scaffolding, with the missile nowhere to be found. Of the Nod forces, there was no trace.

Sergio stepped out from behind the car, and found the other side was scorched from the heat, with small fires licking away at the train cars. Sergio Andreas looked around at the devastation, awestruck at the destructive force GDI could unleash. He couldn't believe his eyes. Somehow, despite all odds, they had won.

The world was safe once more.

For now…

… … …

**Epilogue**

**Washington D.C**

**U.S.A**

**May 17****th****, 2012**

**1400**

"…_Global Defence Initiative Peacekeepers have been deployed to the Canadian-American border, to aid with the ongoing refugee crisis. Tens of thousands of people continue to flee into Canada, leaving the Midwestern States currently infected with Tiberium. GDI Director-General Joseph Liang has stated the Initiative's continued efforts is to ensure the crisis is resolved peacefully._

_In other news, the search for the man responsible for the 2001 Beijing bombing continues. GDI Commander in chief General Granger had assured the public that the Nod terrorist known as Rhodall Juhziz no longer poses any threat, following the GDI victory in Kazakhstan. The famous Battle-Commander Mark Lancaster saved the world from a nuclear attack during-"_

Mark pulled the earbuds out of his ear, cutting off the news report. He stumbled over to a park bench and all but collapsed into it. He then hastily retrieved his water bottle and greedily gulped down its contents, not caring that most dripped down his chin.

The weather was hot today, and he had been pushing himself extra hard today with his routine run. He massaged his leg where it connected with his prosthetic, the skin red and raw from the run. The doctors had advised him to take it easy and rest, but he would be damned if he stayed in bed. He kept up a physical routine, to try and keep busy in his early and forced retirement. GDI had wanted to promote him to a general, but he didn't want some desk job. So he was honourably discharged and given a dozen different medals and honours.

Mark leaned back and tried to calm his racing heart. He didn't deserve any of those honours, they belonged to Robert McCoy, who had given his life to save his fellow soldiers. Writing the letters to McCoy's family and friends had not been an easy thing to do, and it was a burden of command he did not enjoy. It was one of the last things he did before his discharge. Sergio had offered to do it, but Mark felt it was his duty.

Sergio Andreas had been promoted to Battle-Commander and had even taken command of Mark's army unit. The young man would do a good job, and with the help of Colonel Wilson, the army would be in good hands.

Mark leaned forward and rubbed his leg again, barely remembering the tank blast that cost him his limb. He was getting ready to finish his run through the park when he heard a woman yelling. It was his only warning before a blob of gold leaped up and attacked him, assaulting him with a wet and slobbery tongue. Mark couldn't resist the attack and burst out laughing as the golden retriever finally relented. Mark patted the friendly dog as its owner ran over.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry! Bad girl!"

The woman appeared to be in her late thirties, was in great physical shape with blonde hair and green eyes, and large…maternal attributes. The dog whimpered slightly and retreated to her side, as Mark wiped off the slobber from his face.

"It's okay, she is very friendly." Mark said.

"A little too friendly. She didn't hurt you did she? Your leg I mean."

The woman tried to be respectful and not look. But failed as she glanced down at it.

"No I'm okay, thank you. I'm Mark by the way." He held out his hand which she took.

"I know. I recognize you from the news. I'm Emily."

The two exchanged a longing look with each other, and for a moment the world seemed to melt away. All the troubles, all the fighting and sickness, gone for a brief moment.

"Would you like to have lunch with me?" Mark asked suddenly.

"Sure, that sounds nice. When?" Emily replied with a knowing smile.

"Right now."

Emily laughed, a sound that made Mark's heart skip a beat.

"Bossy aren't you? Used to ordering around soldiers huh? Okay sure, lunch right now. If you can catch me."

Without warning Emily ran off down the park trail, her dog in tow. Mark just stared at her for a moment, before laughing and giving chase.

Maybe retirement wouldn't be so bad after all.

… … …

**Alexandria**

**Egypt**

**May 20****th****, 2012**

**1745**

The smell of fish was overpowering, and it made Hassan want to vomit. He was standing in the middle of a warehouse near the docks of Alexandria. In front of him was a crate of salted fish with a map pinned to its top. The map displayed a small chain of islands off of Cyprus, home to a GDI naval base. Hunched over the map was the haggard and beaten figure of General Juhziz. The man looked ten years older after his narrow escape from the Cosmodrome.

The defeat had cost the Brotherhood dearly, not just in manpower and equipment, which were both valuable, but in unity. The Brotherhood was close to unifying under Juhziz's banner, but with his failure, it fractured once more into dozens of petty warlords and splinter factions.

"We can infiltrate a small force here, on this island. From there they can make their way through to the other islands and work their way towards the base. I'm thinking Jarmen Kell can lead this force. We can try to deploy heavier forces to the larger island here. Destroying this base and all the ships docked there will cripple the GDI Navy's presence in the Mediterranean. This will work Hassan." Juhziz had gone from confident to pleading.

Hassan noticed a dark figure in the corner of his eye. He quickly looked away and back to the map, studying the General's latest plan doomed to fail.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"No sir."

Juhziz sighed deeply then looked at Hassan with desperate eyes, like that of a man about to lose everything.

"Please Hassan, do not lose faith in me. This will work, I promise you."

"Of course."

"Good. Now as I was saying-"

The dark figured leaped from the shadows and grabbed Juhziz, slamming him into the crate and pulling his arms behind him. A second figure emerged and handcuffed Juhziz, then pulled him roughly to his feet. Both men wore non-descript black armour and masks that covered their faces. More dark clad soldiers emerged from behind stacks of crates, armed with silenced weapons.

Juhziz struggled against his captors before looking up to see Hassan, completely unmolested by the soldiers

"Hassan help me! Help…wait, no. No not you. You traitor! You heretic! How could you do this to me!"

Hassan didn't reply, he just watched as the soldiers gagged Juhziz and placed a black bag over his head. They dragged the former Nod general away, deeper into the warehouse and out of sight, his screams fading away. Soon Hassan was left alone for a moment, before another dark clad soldier emerged from the shadows. This one removed his mask to reveal the dark skinned face of Commander Solomon.

"Good work Hassan. You delivered on your promise and handed him right to us." Solomon said smugly as he rolled up the map.

"I upheld my end of the bargain Solomon. You will do the same?" Hassan tried to sound in control. He could only hope it worked.

"Of course. You keep your house in order, and GDI will stay out of your affairs. We have other things to worry about then Nod splinter groups."

"Very good. What will happen to him?" Hassan nudged his head in the direction Juhziz had disappeared.

"He will answer for his crimes. After InOps is done with him." Solomon turned to walk away, but stopped and turned back to face Hassan. "We'll keep in touch."

"I thought you said our business was done?"

Solomon didn't reply, instead he walked off into the darkness. Hassan was alone once more, before Jarmen Kell emerged from his hiding place, his signature scowl on his face as he glared at Solomon's retreating form.

"I could kill him right now you know." Kell said, deadpanned.

"No, I may have use of him yet. I have other targets for you to deal with."

"As you say."

The two men stood in silence for a while, waiting for the GDI black ops team to leave. For the first time in a while, Hassan no longer felt doubt: he knew this was the right choice.

The Brotherhood of Nod would live on.

… … …

**Unknown Location**

**May 21****st****, 2012**

**2000**

Grand Confessor Julius hurried down the long, dark metal hallway, passing by strange pulsating tubes and wires set into the walls. The only illumination coming from faint lights set in the high ceiling. His black robes fluttered behind him as he walked at a brisk pace, eager to get his business done with.

He eventually reached the end of the long hallway, at a massive door marked with the insignia of the Black Hand: a raised fist clutching the globe. A single Black Hand soldier stood guard, and he bowed in respect towards Julius.

"Grand Confessor." He said in a deep voice.

"Brother Higgs." Julius replied breathlessly.

Higgs entered a complex series of codes into a keypad, and the door slowly slid open, revealing a darkened room beyond. Julius left Higgs at his post and kept up his brisk pace down the next hallway. This one grew more cramped, as the tubes and wires and pipes extended further out from the wall.

He finally reached his destination, a large room filled with massive computer cores and coolant systems. The room was damp and muggy, and hummed with a thousand different sounds mixed together. Julius stood in the center of the room and waited, somewhat impatiently. He knew this man, this thing… loved his theatrics.

Several moments later, a blue humanlike head appeared before him, suspended in the air so it looked down upon him. CABAL sneered indignantly, as if his time was being wasted. Why the Messiah would create such an arrogant and prideful machine was beyond Julius' understanding.

"You have something to report?" CABAL's voice was deep and masculine, but distinctly mechanical.

"Juhziz has been captured. The Brotherhood has once more fractured into half a dozen splinter cells. The Black Hand must respond; we must reassert unity."

CABAL seemed to think to himself for a moment before saying, "No. The Black Hand is not ready, we must remain in the shadows. There is however someone else we may use. Hassan."

"Hassan? He…yes, I suppose he could do. He's smart at least."

"Indeed. Go, aid Hassan. The Brotherhood of Nod needs time to heal."

"As you say. Kane lives in death."

Julius bowed then made a hasty retreat from CABAL, eager to be away from the damned machine.

Once he had left the room, CABAL smiled to himself. Plans were in motion, and soon the Brotherhood would emerge once more.

Kane lived in death, indeed.

… … …

**Author's note: And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the short story Project Genesis: Operation Final Justice. Thank you everyone for reading and I hope you enjoyed.**

**This was a fun side project to bring the Generals and Tiberium universes together. I always felt that Generals would serve well as a bridge between Tiberian Dawn and Tiberian Sun.**

**A huge thank you to Ian Otter for editing several chapter.**

**And thank you to Augustrad for reviewing and offering insight.**

**Check out their awesome stories!**

**So up next will be Project Genesis Part 2: Sun. And I am excited to work on novelizing Tiberian Sun**.

**Until next time.**

**Kane lives in death!**


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